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EARLY  WRITINGS 

OF 

BISHOP  HOOPER. 


anU  0arlp  Wivittx^  of  tfje  Meformra 


EARLY  WRITINGS 

or 

JOHN    HOOPER,  D.  D. 

LORD  BISHOP  or  GLOUCESTER  AND  WORCESTER, 

MARTYR,  1555. 


COMPRISING 

THE  DECLARATION  OF  CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 
ANSWER  TO  BISHOP  GARDINER, 
TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 
SERMONS  ON  JONAS. 
FUNERAL  SERMON. 


EDITED  FOR 

Ef)t  iParft^r  Society, 

BY  THE 
BEV.  SAMUEL  CARB,  M.A. 
BECTOR  OP  EVERSDEN,  VICAR  OF  ST  PETEr's,  COLCHESTEB, 
LATE  FELLOW  OF  QUEENS'  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE, 


CAMBRIDGE: 

PRINTED  AT 

THE    UNIVERSITY  PRESS. 


M.DCCC.XLIII. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

A  Declaration  of  Christ  and  his  Office   1 

Answer  to  the  Bishop  of  Winchester's  Book   97 

A  Declaration  of  the  Ten  Holy  Commandments  of  Almighty- 
God   249 

An  Oversight  and  Deliberation  upon  the  holy  Prophet  Jonas...  431 
A  Funeral  Sermon  upon  Revelation  xiv.  13   661 


[hooper.] 


a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICE 


OF 

BISHOP  HOOPER. 


John  Hooper  was  born  in  Somersetshire,  about  the  close 
of  the  fifteenth  century.  His  name  is  usually  spelt  Hoper, 
or  Houper,  by  himself  and  his  contemporaries.  He  studied 
at  Oxford,  probably  in  Merton  College,  and  subsequently 
embraced  the  monastic  life.  After  the  dissolution  of  the 
monasteries,  and  when  the  Act  of  the  Six  Articles  was  in 
force,  he  withdrew  to  the  continent,  where  he  was  kindly 
received  at  Zurich  by  Bullinger.  He  remained  abroad  till 
the  accession  of  King  Edward  VI.  In  1548  he  returned  to 
England,  and  residing  in  London,  preached  continually  to 
large  congregations,  taking  also  an  active  part  in  the  pro- 
ceedings of  that  period. 

In  May,  1550,  he  was  nominated  to  the  bishopric  of 
Gloucester,  but  was  not  consecrated  till  the  next  year.  This 
delay  was  owing  to  his  objections  to  an  oath  by  the  saints, 
and  to  some  of  the  vestments  formerly  worn  by  the  Romish 
prelates,  and  then  retained.  The  former  point  was  conceded ; 
but  the  dispute  respecting  the  habits  went  so  far,  that 
Hooper  was  for  a  short  time  confined  in  the  Fleet.  This 
matter  being  at  last  arranged  by  his  yielding  in  a  great 
measure  to  what  was  required,  he  entered  upon  his  diocese, 
to  which  that  of  Worcester  was  afterwards  added,  and 
discharged  the  duties  of  the  episcopal  office  in  a  most  ex- 
emplary manner. 

On  the  accession  of  Queen  Mary,  Hooper  was  one  of 
the  first  who  were  brought  into  trouble.  He  was  committed 
to  the  Fleet  in  September,  1553,  on  a  false  allegation  of 
being  indebted  to  the  Queen,  and  was  treated  with  much 
severity.  The  particulars  are  related  by  himself  in  one 
of  his  letters. 


iv  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICE   OF   BISHOP  HOOPER. 

When  popery  was  fully  restored,  Hooper  was  among  the 
earliest  sufferers,  as  he  had  predicted  would  be  the  case. 
Gardiner  treated  him  with  unrelenting  severity.  He  was 
condemned  in  January,  1555,  taken  to  Gloucester,  and 
burned  near  to  his  own  cathedral  on  the  9th  of  February. 
His  cruel  sufferings,  augmented  by  the  barbarous  orders  of 
his  persecutors,  are  fully  related  by  Foxe. 

Bishop  Hooper  appears  to  have  taken  an  active  part 
in  the  reformation  during  the  reign  of  King  Edward  VI. ; 
and  although  for  a  time  at  variance  with  Cranmer  and 
Ridley  on  the  question  respecting  habits,  a  perfect  re- 
conciliation afterwards  took  place,  and  he  was  an  inmate 
with  the  former  at  Lambeth,  when  visiting  London. 

No  life  of  Bishop  Hooper  has  yet  appeared  as  a  separate 
work :  materials  had  been  collected  for  a  fuller  biographical 
notice  for  this  volume,  when  the  Editor's  attention  was  called 
to  some  letters  of  this  reformer,  transcribed  from  originals 
in  the  Archives  at  Zurich.  As  these  letters  supply  im- 
portant additional  information  respecting  the  writer,  and  it 
is  probable  that  the  researches  at  Zurich  and  elsewhere  in 
Switzerland,  now  in  progress  in  behalf  of  the  Parker  Society, 
may  give  yet  further  particulars ;  the  Editor  is  unwilling  to 
delay  the  publication  of  the  present  volume,  now  completed 
at  the  press,  and  therefore  gives  the  preceding  very  brief 
sketch,  hoping  that  a  more  detailed  memoir,  with  fuller 
statements,  may  appear  with  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
author's  vpritings.  Of  the  pieces  included  in  this  publi- 
cation it  is  unnecessary  to  say  any  thing  in  addition  to  the 
preliminary  notices  :  it  is  evident  from  the  remarks  of  con- 
temporary writers,  that  they  had  considerable  influence  in 
their  day. 

Ttie  subjoined  list  of  Bishop  Hooper's  writings,  from  the 
Bibliotheca  of  Bishop  Tanner,  will  shew  what  remain  to  be 
printed.  His  letters  mention  two  treatises  sent  to  Zurich 
a  short  time  before  his  martyrdom.  Hitherto  these  have 
been  sought  for  in  vain ;  but  the  researches  above  alluded  to 
being  still  in  progress,  it  is  possible  they  may  yet  be  found. 

November,  1843. 


The  following  is  the  list  of  Bishop  Hoopers  worhs^  as  given 
hy  Bishop  Tanner  in  his  Bibliotheca  Britanico-Hibernica. 

HooPERUs  (Johannes)  patria  Somersetensis  in  academia 
Oxon.  et,  ut  A.  Wood  videtur,  in  coUegio  Merton.  in  studiis 
humanioribus  institutus.  Emenso  philosophise  curriculo,  mo- 
nachi  Cisterciensis  habitum  assumpsit,  quem  mox  abjecit,  et 
Londinum  se  contuht,  ubi  lectione  quorundam  Lutheri  libro- 
rum  amplectendam  doctrinam  reforraatam  invitabatur.  Circa 
annum  mdxxxix.  metu  sex  articulorum  solum  vertit,  et  usque 
ad  Henrici  VIII.  mortem  per  Galliam,  Hiberniam,  et  Hel- 
vetiam  vagari  coactus  est.  Regnante  Edwardo  in  patriam 
rediit,  et  A.  mdxlix.  unus  accusatorum  Bonneri  fuit.  Fox. 
i.  edit.  p.  700,  et  capellanus  ducis  Somerset.  Strype  in 
Vita  Cranmer.  p.  219.  Anno  mdl.  episcopus  Glocestrensis 
designatus  est ;  accepto  etiam  A.  mdlii.  (regis  dono)  Wigor- 
niensi  multo  opulentiori  episcopatu,  quem  simul  cum  Glo- 
cestrensi  per  dispensationem  regiam  quae  Commenda  vocatur, 
tenuit.  Maria  regnum  auspicante  Londinum  accersitus  est, 
ubi  28  Jan.  mdliv.  Stephanus  Gardiner,  episcopus  Winton. 
ei  duos  objecit  articulos,  unum  de  matrimonio  clericorum, 
alteram  de  divortio,  (vid.  Ric.  Smith  librum  De  coelibatu) 
deinde  in  carcerem  compactus,  et  tandem  hsereseos  damnatus, 
igni  traditus  est,  Glocestrige,  9  Febr.  mdlv.  Inter  doctos 
sui  seculi  viros  in  primis  annis  philologia  simul  et  philo- 
sophia  clarus,  senex  autem  theologia  et  patrum  lectione  non 
minus  insignis  habebatur.  Erat  ecclesise  Ilomanse  infensis- 
simus,  matri  Anglicanse  autem  non  per  omnia  amicus :  utpote 
qui  puritanis  favebat,  et  ritibus  ecclesise,  saltem,  quod  ad 
vestes  sacras  spectat,  se  non  conformem  prsestabat.  Scripsit 
Anglice,  Answer  to  the  bishop  of  Winchester'' s  book^  entit. 


VI 


WORKS    OF    BISHOP  HOOPER. 


A  detection  of  the  deviVs  sophistry,  wherewith  he  robbeth  the 
milearned  of  the  true  belief  in  the  sacrament  of  the  altar.  Pr. 
"  Youre  booke,  my  lorde,  intytlid."  Zurich,  mdxlvii.  4to. 
A  declaration  of  Christ  and  his  office.  Ded.  to  Edw.  duke 
of  Somerset.  8  Dec.  mdxlvii.  Pr.  "  The  godlye  pretence." 
Zurich,  MDXLVII.  8vo.  recus.  cum  correctionibus  Christoph. 
Rosdell.  12mo.  Lesson  of  the  incarnation  of  Christ.  Pr. 
pr.  "  Seyng  we  be  even  so  apointed."  Lond.  mdxlix.  Svo. 
Sermons  on  Jonas  before  the  king  and  council  in  Lent.  mdl. 
Pr.  ded.  regi  Edw.  VI.  "  Amonge  other  most  noble  and." 
Lond.  mdl.  et  mdlix.  Svo.  Answers  to  certain  queries  con- 
cerning the  abuses  of  the  mass.  Burnet,  Hist,  reform,  vol.  ii. 
num.  25.  A  godly  confession  and  protestation  of  the  christian 
faith.,  wherein  is  declared  what  a  Christian  man  is  bound  to 
believe  of  God,  his  king,  his  neighbour  and  himself,  ded.  K. 
Edw.  VI.  and  parliament.  "  The  wyse  man  Cicero  most." 
Pr.  lib.  "  I  beleve  accordynge  to  the  holi."  Lond.  mdl. 
Svo.  Homily  to  be  read  in  the  time  of  the  pestilence,  and  a 
most  present  remedy  for  the  same.  ,  mdliii.  4to.  Various  letters 
written  in  prison.  X.  in  Fox.  Acts  et  monum.  of  the  church. 
A.  MDLV.  pp.  1507,  1511,  etc.  III.  in  Strype,  in  Vita 
Cranmer.  append,  p.  133,  seq.  to  the  prisoners  in  the  counter, 
dat.  4  Jan.  mdliv.  extat  ad  finem  Apologice  i.  about  the  story 
of  his  recanting,  dat.  20  Febr.  mdliv.  MS.  Eman.  Cantabr. 
Exhortation  to  patience  sent  to  his  wife  Anne.  Pr.  "  Our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  Fox,  p.  1513.  Certain  sentences 
written  in  prison.  Lond.  mdlix.  Svo.  Speech  at  his  death. 
An  apology  against  the  untrue  and  slanderous  report  made 
of  him,  that  he  should  be  a  maintainer  and  encourager  of 
such  that  cursed  queen  Mary.  Pr.  "  It  is  the  use  and  fashion 
of  all."  Lond.  mdlxii.  Svo.  Quibus  adduntur  epistolse  non- 
nuUse  scriptse  in  carcere.  Comfortable  expositions  on  the 
23.  62.  73.  et  77  psalms'.  Lond.  mdlxxx.  4to.  Exposition 
on  Psal.  xxiii.  Pr.  "  To  the  faithful  in  the  city  of  Lon- 
don."    Pr.   "  Your  fayth  and  hope  of."    Lond.  mdlxii. 


WORKS  OP    BISHOP  HOOPER. 


vii 


tempore  reg.  Marise.  Annotations  mi  the  13.  chapt.  to  the 
Bomans.  Pr.  ded.  decano,  cancellario,  archidiacono,  etc. 
dioec.  Glocestr.  "  If  the  dangers  and  perils."  Worcester, 
MDLi.  Lond.  MDLxxxiii.  12mo.  Twelve  lectures  upon  the 
creed.  Lond.  mdlxxxi.  8vo.  Confession  of  the  Christian 
faith,  containing  100  articles  according  to  the  order  of  the 
creed  of  the  apostles.  Pr.  "  I  believe  in  one  God.''  mdl. 
Lond.  MDLXXXI.  8vo.  A.  mdlxxxiv.  annectebantur  Johannis 
Baker  Lecturis  super  symholum  apostolorum.  Declaration  of 
the  ten  holy  commandments  of  Almighty  God.  cap.  19.  Pr. 
"  I  commende  here  unto  thy  charitie."  mdxlviii. 
Lond.  MDL.  et  mdlxxxviii.  8vo.  Articulos  50,  Injunctiones 
SI,  et  Examinationes,  etc.  in  visitatione  dioec.  Glocestr.  Strype 
in  Vita  Cranmer.  p.  216.  Concionem  funebrem  hahitam.  14 
Januar.  mdxlix.  in  Bevel,  xiv.  13.  I  heard  a  voice,  etc. 
Pr.  "  The  death  of  a  man's  frendis."  Lond.  mdxlix.  in 
12mo.  recus.  per  Tho.  Purfote  Svo.  His  addidit 

Baleus.  Varias  condones,  lib.  i.  An  fides  celari  possit,  lib.  i. 
De  perseverantia  Christianorum,  lib.  i.  Vitandos  esse  pseudo- 
prophetas,  lib.  i.  Ad  Vigornienses  et  Glocestrenses,  lib.  i. 
Contra  abominationes  missce,  lib.  i.  Adversus  concionem  Jacobi 
Brokes,  lib.  i.  Contra  mendacia  Thomce  Ma/rtin,  lib.  i.  In 
psalmwn,  Levavi  oculos  meos,  lib.  i.  Super  orationem  Domi- 
nicam,  lib.  i.  Fidelis  uscoris  officia,  lib.  i.  De  triplici  hominis 
statu,  lib.  I.  Contra  Buceri  calumniatorem,  lib.  i.  De  re 
eucharistica,  lib.  i.  De  vera  et  falsa  doctrina,  lib.  i.  Contra 
obtrectatores  divini  verbi,  lib.  i.  Ad  Londinensis  antichristi 
articulos,  lib.  i.  Contra  primatum  Bomani  episcopi,  lib.  i. 
Exhortationes  ad  Christianos,  lib.  i.  Latine  etiam  ex  carcere 
scripsit  Epistolam  ad  episcopos,  decams,  archidiaconos  et  cceteros 
cleri  ordines.  A.  mdliv.  Pr.  "  Non  vos  latet  viri  doctissimi." 
Fox,  p.  2135.  De  pseudo-doctrina  fugienda,  lib.  i.  "  Adver- 
sarius  humani  generis."  Ad  parliamenttm  contra  neotericos, 
lib.  I.  "  Quanquam  viri  illustrissimi."  Fro  doctrina  cosnoe 
Dominicce,  lib.  i.    "  Ne  cuiquam  vestrum  fratres."  Contra 


Vlll 


WORKS   OF    BISHOP  HOOPER. 


corporalem  prmsmtiam,  lib,  i.  "  Secundus  liber  in  quo 
neoterici."  Ad  Glocestrios  et  Vigornios,  epist.  i.  "  Per 
duos  annos  et  aliquot."  Ad  cardinalem  Polum,  epist.  i. 
"  Non  eo  animo,  vir  ornatissime."  Ad  Cicestrensem  episcopum, 
epist.  I.  "  Pii  et  boni  viri,  prsesul  amplissime.'"  Epistolam 
I.  Lot.  Cahim.  dat.  3  Sept.  mdlii.  edit,  per  Colomesium, 
Lond.  MDcxciv.  12mo.  p.  288.  Epistolas  II.  Fox,  p.  1482. 
Transtulit  in  Anglic.  Tertulliani  ad  uosorem  lib.  ii.  De 
elections  mariti  et  uxoris.  Lond.  mdl.  8vo.  Bal.  viii.  86. 
Athen.  Oxon.  i.  ,91.  seqq.   Godwin,  p.  590.  Fox,  p.  1502. 


A  DECLARATION 

OP 

CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


[hoopek.] 


1 


of  Ctjri^t^  mtf  of  U» 

f)m  lOper  Anno 
IS47- 


Matth.  7. 

Hie  est  filius  meus  dilectus,  in 
quo  niihi  bene  coplacuit,  ipsum 
audite. 


[Title-page  of  the  First  Edition.] 


A  Godlie  and  pro- 
fitable treatise  tonttU 

nyng  a  declaration  of 
Office. 

tomptUti  1547  ti»  tfje  wijmnJr 
father,  anU  (aiti^tuW  Mini&tev  of 
(if I)rt0te*  and  constant  mattpre  in 
tJie  tvnftit  |¥tai$tet  SJIion  itoper: 
anDr  neUDlp  correctetr^  anO  purgeti 
tip  tt)e  Godlie  inliu£(trte  of  U> 
from  a  ntultttutre  of  gro^^e  faul^ 
te&,  isytievt  luitl^aU  it  Uja^  peete^ 
retr*  tlirougl)  f^e  corruption  of  tlje 
print*  anti  grMt  unstftilfulncdoe 
of  t!ie  printer,  fieiarxq 
a  ma  of  an  otl^^ 
j^ation. 

Matt.  vii. 

This  is  my  beloved  Sonne  in  who 
I  am  wdl  pleased,  heare  hym. 

C    Imprinted  at  London  for  John 
Perrin,  and  are  to  be  sold  at  his 
shop  in  Paules  Churchyard, 
at  the  Signe  of  the 
Aungell. 


[Title-fage  of  the  Second  Edition.] 


1—2 


[The  first  edition  of  this  treatise,  printed  at  Zurich,  1647,  hy  persons 
ignorant  of  the  English  language,  is  so  full  of  typographical  errors, 
as  oftentimes  to  obscure  the  sensed  About  thirty-five  years  afterwards 
another  edition  was  printed  by  Christopher  RosdeU,  who  professed  to 
correct  these  errors  (see  the  title  on  the  preceding  page,)  and  translated 
the  Latin  quotations.  He  also  prefixed  a  dedication  to  Edward  Seymour, 
Earl  of  Hertford,  son  of  Edward  Seymour,  Duke  of  Somerset,  the  Pro- 
tector and  Uncle  of  King  Edward  VI.,  to  whom  Bishop  Hooper  had 
inscribed  the  first  edition. 

These  two  editions  have  been  carefully  collated  on  the  present 
occasion:  the  text  of  that  of  1547  has  been  uniformly  retained,  cor- 
rected only  as  to  the  literal  and  typographical  errors  by  comparison 
with  Rosdell's. 

The  marginal  notes  are  supplied  from  the  latter  source ;  and  Ros- 
dell's translations  and  principal  alterations  are  appended,  distinguished 
by  the  initial  R. 

For  the  other  notes  the  Editor  is  responsible. 

'  The  following  specimen  of  the  first  sentence  of  the  Zurich  edition  will  give  some 
idea,  though  only  an  imperfect  one,  of  the  difficulty  arising  from  what  RosdeU  terms 
"the  multitude  of  gross  faults  wherewithal  it  was  pestered."  His  own  edition  was 
also  very  far  from  being  correct. 

For  asmouche  as  all  mightye  God  of  his  infinit  mercye  and  Goddenys  preparyd 
Ameanes  wherby  Adame  and  his  posterite  might  be  restoryd  agayne  unto  there 
Originall  iustite  and  perfection  boothe  of  body  and  soule  and  to  lyne  eternally  unto 
the  sa  me  end  that  they  were  creatyd  for  to  blysse  and  magnifie  for  euer.  the  immortall 
and  lyuyng  God.  it  is  tlioffice  of  euery  trew  Christiane  before  all  other  studies,  trauelles 
and  paynes  that  he  shall  susteyne  for  the  tyme  of  this  brieife  and  miserable  lief  to 
applye  hymselfe  with  all  diligeteforseand  labor  to  know  perfetlye  this  meanes  ordeynid 
by  God  for  our  saluation  and  the  thingonsknowen  diligently  with  hart  &c.  &c.] 


[THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY  OF  THE  ENGLISH 
EDITION,  1582.] 


IT  To  the  right  ho- 
nourable Edward  Seymour 
Earl  of  Hertford,  and  Lord 
Beauchamp :    Christopher  Eos- 
dell  wisheth  health,  with 
increase  of  godliness 
honour  and 
wealth. 

If  either  Hippocrates  (right  honourable)  for  sending  sabei.  Lib. 
certain  of  his  scholars  into  divers  cities  of  Grsecia  to  help 
them,  when  they  began  to  be  visited  with  great  mortality 
through  a  dangerous  and  grievous  sickness,  merited  at  the 
hands  of  the  Grsecians  the  honour  of  Hercules ;  or  Aristides 
deserved  at  the  hands  of  the  Athenians  so  great  things  as 
after  his  departure  were  recompensed  to  his  posterity, 
for  a  reward  of  that  he  had  sustained  in  the  wars  of  the 
Persians,  to  defend  and  save  their  city;  with  how  great 
praise  is  master  Hooper  to  be  extolled  of  us?  And  how 
great  rewards  have  his  merits  won  at  our  hands,  who  hath 
done  more  for  his  country  than  Hippocrates  for  Graecia,  and 
sustained  more  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  than  Aristides 
for  the  defence  of  Athens?  For  when  a  most  dangerous 
and  pernicious  disease,  not  of  the  body  but  of  the  soul,  (I 
mean  heresy,  superstition,  and  idolatry,)  had  not  invaded  (as  the 
plague  in  Grsecia)  certain  cities,  but  (as  the  clouds  in  the 
sky)  overspread  the  whole  land  ;  he  did  not  only  send  others, 
but  also  most  diligently  went  himself  to  wash  the  impure  and 
unclean  lepers,  not  in  the  waters  of  Jordan,  but  in  the  liv-  r .  ^ 

'■  [2]  Reg.  V. 

ing  and  pure  fountain  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ ;  where- 


vi 


THE  EPISTLE 


of  many  yet  remaining  can  testify  and  bear  witness.  And 

Psai.  ixxx.  when  the  uncircumcised  Philistines,  the  wild  boar  out  of  the 
wood,  and  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field,  yea,  when  that 

Apoc.  xiii.  beast  John  speaketh  of  in  the  Revelation,  with  an  infinite 
brood  of  his  worshippers,  for  the  sins  of  the  people  had 
prevailed  in  this  commonwealth,  and  began  to  defile  the 

Psai.  ixxix.  holy  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  to  make  Hierusalem  an  heap  of 
stones;  he,  for  the  health  and  safety  of  the  Lord's  inheritance, 
did  not  only  with  Aristides  sustain  and  suffer  many  hard 
things,  but  also  was  another  Sampson  fighting  against  the 
Eomish  Philistines,  and  in  the  end,  rather  than  he  would 
worship  the  beast,  he  chose  to  be  cast  into  their  hot  fiery 

'Euseb. Lib.  fumace,  wherein  for  righteousness'  sake,  like  unto  Polycarpus, 

iii.  cap.  4.  ° 

with  singular  courage,  wonderful  patience  and  constancy,  he 
yielded  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  the  eternal  Father,  and 
Matt.x.     deserved  the  name  of  an  holy  and  constant  martyr.  In 

Luke  xxi. 

2  THm'^iH.  whom  the  scripture  was  truly  verified,  which  saith,  "  The  world 
Acts  XIV.    ^^^^  j^^^^  y^^^  persecute  you,  and  some  of  you  shall  they 

kill  and  put  to  death  for  my  name's  sake."  "  Whoso  will  be 
my  disciple,  let  him  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me."  "All 
that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution." 
And  "through  many  afflictions  we  must  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  Therefore  this  is  not  more  old  than  it  is  a 
true  saying, 

"  Sanguine  mundata  est  ecclesia,  sanguine  caepit, 
Sanguine  succrevit,  sanguine  finis  eritV 

Yet  to  the  great  comfort  and  consolation  of  all  those  that 

suffer  for  Christ's  sake,  it  is  said :  "  Right  precious  and  dear 

Psai.  cxvi.  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  saints."    "  Who- 

Mark  viii.   soever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  and  the  gospel's,  shall 

[}  The  reference  appears  to  be  wrong.  The  martyrdom  of  Polycarp, 
as  related  by  Eusebius,  is  in  Lib.  iv.  cap.  xv.  Euseb.  Op.  Moguntis. 
1672.  Tom.  I.  p.  128.] 

P  The  church  was  cleansed  by  blood,  it  commenced  in  blood,  it  has 
increased  through  blood,  and  its  termination  will  be  with  blood.] 


DEDICATORY. 


vii 


save  it."  "  It  is  a  true  saying,  If  we  die  with  him,  we  shall  2  Tim.  a. 
also  live  with  him :  If  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  reign 
with  him ;  if  we  deny  him,  he  will  also  deny  us."  Therefore 
"blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord;  even  so,  saith  Rev. xiv. 
the  Spirit."  But  because,  right  honourable,  as  these  places 
of  holy  scripture  do  most  plainly  teach  us,  and  as  Saint 
Augustine*  hath  truly  said,  "  It  is  not  the  death,  but  the  cause  ^• 
for  the  which  one  dieth,  that  maketh  a  martyr ;"  not  every  v?"um.^'^"' 
one  that  suffereth,  but  he  that  suffereth  for  righteousness' 
sake,  deserveth  the  praise  of  martyrdom :  the  Lord  himself 
was  crucified  with  thieves,  yet  there  was  great  diversity  and 
difference  between  the  causes  of  their  suffering,  as  one  of  the 
thieves  confessed,  reproving  the  other  and  saying,  "  We  re-  Luke  xxiu. 
ceive  things  worthy  of  that  we  have  done,  but  this  man  hath 
done  nothing  amiss :"  and  as  ApoUinaris  saith,  "  Where  the 
verity  and  truth  of  Christ  is  not,  there  is  no  martyrdom :" 
therefore,  that  the  cause  which  this  good  man  so  valiantly 
defended,  and  doctrine  which  he  so  dihgently  preached  and 
finally  sealed  with  his  blood,  might  appear  and  be  seen  to 
all  posterities;  he  left  the  tenor  and  effect  thereof  (to  the 
great  benefit  of  God's  church  in  all  ages  to  come)  in  writing, 
as  by  certain  books  extant  at  this  day  is  to  be  seen.  Amongst 
the  which  there  is  none  doth  more  plainly  shew  forth  the 
cause  he  maintained,  and  quarrel  wherein  he  died,  than  this 
little  treatise,  entituled,  A  True  Declaration  of  Christ  and  his 
Office.  Wherein  the  principal  points  of  christian  religion 
are  so  sententiously  handled,  and  Christ  and  his  office  so 
lively  described,  that  nothing  can  be  more  clear  to  the  eye, 
or  more  melodious  and  sweet  to  the  ear  of  the  godly  Christian. 
Yet,  alas !  right  honourable,  as  that  famous  river  Hypanis, 

P  Jam  enim  nescio  quoties  disputando  et  scribendo  monstravimus 
non  eos  posse  habere  martyrum  mortem,  quia  christianorum  non  habent 
vitam,  cum  martyrem  non  faciat  poena  sed  causa.  Aug.  Op.  Basil. 
(Frobenii)  1541.  Ep.  61.  ad  Dulcetium,  Tom.  11.  col.  310.  A.] 


THE  EPISTLE 


LibTiU.''  prince  of  rivers  amongst  the  Scythians,  which  in  itself 
•""P-^-  is  most  pure  and  sweet,  by  running  through  the  bitter  pool 
Exampeus,  or  it  come  to  the  sea,  is  infected,  and  made  bit- 
ter, and  altogether  unlike  unto  itself;  whereupon  Sohnus 
saith.  Qui  in  principiis  eum  normt,  prcedicmt,  qui  in  fine 
experti  sunt,  execrantur^:  so  this  godly  and  profitable  tract, 
in  itself  most  pure  and  pleasant,  by  passing  through  the  press 
of  an  unskilful  printer  at  Zurich  in  Germany,  or  it  came  to 
be  pubHshed  in  the  sea  of  this  world,  was  so  infected  and 
corrupted,  not  with  small  and  petty  scapes,  but  with  gross 
and  palpable  faults,  not  here  and  there,  but  in  every  leaf,  in 
every  page,  and  almost  in  every  Une,  that  it  might  truly  be 
said.  Either  this  is  not  master  Hooper's  work,  or  else,  qiiam 
dissimilis  sui  prodit^.  So  that  Apelles  had  not  so  great 
cause  to  bewail  his  Venus,  nor  Protogenes  to  beweep  his 
Hialysum,  daubed  and  piteously  mortered,  than  he  had  to 
lament  his  book  so  greatly  corrupted.  And  that  which  is 
most  of  all  to  be  lamented,  it  hath  remained  in  this  pickle, 
and  continued  in  this  rust,  by  the  space  of  thirty  and  five 
years,  or  thereabout,  and  was  not  unlike  to  have  remained 
therein  for  ever,  if,  at  the  earnest  petitions  of  a  certain  godly 
Christian,  I  had  not  taken  this  labour  upon  me.  Whereunto, 
as  the  petitions  of  the  godly,  the  desire  of  profiting  the  church 
of  Christ,  and  care  to  salve  the  wounded  and  martyred  work 
of  so  good  a  man,  did  not  a  little  on  the  one  side  move 
and  persuade  me ;  so  the  tediousness  of  the  thing  (wherein 
methought  I  saw  an  idea  of  the  pestered  stable  of  Augea) 
did  greatly  on  the  other  side  terrify  and  dissuade  me.  But 

\}  Varenius's  account  is :  Parvulus  rivus,  dictus  Exampeus,  amarus 
admodum,  reddit  Hypanem  fluvium  cui  influit  amarum.  Var.  Geog. 
Lib.  I.  cap.  xvii.  prop,  x.] 

P  They  who  knew  it  at  its  source  praise  it,  they  who  have  made 
trial  of  it  at  its  termination  execrate  it.] 

How  unlike  himself  does  he  come  forth 


DEDICATORY. 


ix 


when  I  called  to  mind  that  old  saying*,  Labor  improbus  virgii. 
omnia  mncit,  and  considered  withal,  how  great  labour  we 
ought  to  sustain  for  the  glory  of  Grod  and  benefit  of  our 
brethren,  all  delays  and  excuses  laid  apart,  yea,  and  all  other 
business  for  the  present  time  set  aside ;  as  Abraham  wholly 
gave  himself  to  deliver  his  cousin  Loth  out  of  the  bondage 
and  captivity  of  the  Assyrians,  and  to  reduce  not  only  him,  J^^^gp^'j- 
but  also  his  substance  to  their  former  state  of  freedom  and  Lib.'?.'cap 
liberty;  so  I  employed  my  whole  power,  travail,  and  study, 
to  bring  again  this  treasure  of  our  christian  brother,  from  that 
servitude  and  bondage  it  sustained  by  the  German  printer, 
unto  his  native  liberty  and  freedom ;  providing  also  that  the 
allegations  and  testimonies  alleged  out  of  the  holy  scripture 
or  fathers,  for  confirmation  of  any  matter,  (which  in  the 
first  edition  were  all  in  Latin,)  might  now,  for  the  use  and 
benefit  of  the  simple  reader,  come  forth  in  English.  All 
which  things  when  I  had  accomplished,  and  (though  not  in 
such  perfect  and  absolute  manner  as  I  wished,  yet  in  such 
sort  as  I  could)  brought  to  an  end,  I  began  to  think  with 
myself,  to  whom  chiefly  and  principally  I  should  dedicate 
this  my  labour,  whatsoever  it  is.    And  your  most  honourable 
lordship  came  to  my  remembrance,  as  the  only  man  to  whom 
this  Treatise  doth  by  right  and  just  title  appertain.  For 
notwithstanding  I  may  seem  (being  a  man  not  only  altogether 
unknown,  but  also  unworthy  to  write  unto  so  noble  a  per- 
sonage) very  bold  in  coming  so  familiarly  unto  your  honour, 
yet  there  were  divers  urgent  causes  and  great  reasons,  which 
induced  me  hereunto.   As,  that  when  I  had  diligently  weighed 
and  considered  with  myself,  to  whom  the  author  hereof  did 
dedicate  this  his  travail,  when  he  first  published  and  set  it 
forth,  methought  I  was  sufiiciently  instructed  to  whom  I 

P  Virg.  Georg.  ii.  v.  145.  "Great  labour  overcomes  all  difficulties."] 
The  reference  should  be  Joseph.  Op.  Lib.  i.  cap.  x.  (p.  31.  Amst. 
1726.)] 


X 


THE  EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 


should  present  the  same,  being  newly  furbished.  And  when 
I  bethought  of  that  rare  affability  and  singular  humanity, 
which  all  men  report  to  have  been  evermore  in  your  honour, 
towards  the  favourers  of  true  religion,  I  was  not  only  con- 
firmed against  all  fear,  but  also  emboldened  to  offer  this 
small  gift  unto  your  honour,  as  a  testimony  of  my  good  will 
towards  the  same.  And  although  my  gift  is  of  no  such  price, 
that  it  should  be  offered  unto  so  great  a  man;  yet  I  doubt 
not  but  your  honour  will  respect  more  the  mind  of  the  giver, 
than  the  dignity  or  excellency  of  the  thing  that  is  given; 
not  so  much  for  the  example  of  Artaxerxis,  king  of  Persia, 
receiving  a  handful  of  water  in  good  part  of  the  poor  Persian, 
as  for  the  example  of  Christ,  (in  whom  only  you  rejoice,) 
Mark  xii.  who  esteemed  more  of  the  poor  widow''s  mite,  than  of  all  the 
rich  gifts  which  the  richer  sort  of  their  superfluity  did  cast 
into  the  treasury.  For  it  is  an  old  saying,  ')^apiTwv  Ovfios 
apia-To^  ^  Nothing  doubting  therefore  but  your  most  honour- 
able lordship,  through  that  special  humanity  and  clemency 
which  always  hath  appeared  in  you,  will  accept  this  simple 
gift  with  the  same  mind  wherewith  it  is  offered  unto  you, 
I  beseech  the  everlasting  Father,  in  the  name  of  his  Son 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  preserve  you  and  yours  in  health, 
wealth,  godliness,  and  honour,  long  to  continue  in  this  world, 
and  after  this  Ufe  to  give  unto  you  the  blessing  of  eternal 
felicity  in  his  rich  and  most  glorious  kingdom.  Amen. 

Your  most  honorable  lordship's 

to  command,  in  the  Lord, 

CHRISTOFER  EOSDELL. 

[}  The  intention  is  the  best  of  gifts.] 


ORIGINAL  DEDICATION 


To  the  most  noble  and  victorious  prince  Edward,  duke 
of  Somerset,  earl  of  Hertford,  viscoimt  Beauchamp,  lord 
Seymour,  governor  of  the  person  of  the  king's  majesty,  and 
protector  of  all  his  realms,  his  Heutenant-general  of  all  his 
armies,  both  by  land  and  by  sea,  treasurer  and  earl- 
marshal  of  England,  governor  of  the  isles  of 
Guernsey  and  Jersey,  and  knight  of  the  most 
noble  order  of  the  garter,  Johan  Hoper 
wisheth  grace  and  peace,  with  long 
and  gracious  life  in  the  living 
God,  through  Christ 
Jesus  our  only 
Saviour. 

The  godly  pretence  and  consideration  of  your  warfare 
of  late  into  Scotland,  most  gracious  and  victorious  prince, 
and  the  just  occasion  given  by  your  enemies  to  use  the 
force  of  your  most  mighty  and  virtuous  army,  the  Lord 
hath  so  magnified  with  prosperous  and  victorious  success, 
that  it  seemeth  not  only  a  victory''  most  noble,  worthy  per- 
petual memory,  but  also  to  be  esteemed  as  a  singular  favour 
and  merciful  benediction  of  God  given  from  heaven,  who 
accustometh  many  times  unto  such  a  godly-pretenced  pur- 
pose to  annex  and  add  an  external  sign  and  testimony  of 
his  good  will,  that  the  world  should  not  only  acknowledge 
him  to  be  the  God  of  battle,  and  say,  "This  thing  is  done 
by  the  Lord,  and  is  wonderful  in  our  eyes,"  but  also  remember 
that  thus  the  Lord  useth  to  bless  such  as  feareth  his  name, 
both  in  war  and  in  peace.    And  as  every  godly  and  good 

P  The  battle  of  Pinkey,  Sept.  10,  1547,  in  which,  it  was  said,  14,000 
Scots  were  slain,  and  1,500  taken  prisoners.  See  Burnet's  Hist.  Reform.] 


xii 


DEDICATION 


man  doth  praise  the  divine  majesty  of  God,  for  his  in- 
estimable favour  and  grace  in  this  heavenly  victory;  so  he 
is  to  be  called  upon  always  hereafter  to  follow  your  grace 
with  like  aid  and  consolation,  that  the  thing  godly  begun 
may  take  a  gracious  and  blessed  success,  the  old  amity  and 
friendship  restored,  that  God  by  the  creation  of  the  world 
appointed  to  be  in  that  one  realm  and  island,  divided  from 
all  the  world  by  imparking  of  the  sea,  by  natural  descent 
of  parentage  and  blood,  one  in  language  and  speech,  in 
form  and  proportion  of  personage  one,  one  in  manner  and 
condition  of  living;  and  the  occasion  of  all  discord  and 
hatred  banished,  that  the  good  Scottish-EngUshman  may 
confess  and  do  the  same  at  home  that  he  doth  in  foreign 
and  strange  countries,  calling  an  Englishman  always  his 
countryman,  and  studious  to  do  him  pleasure  before  any 
other  nation  of  the  world.  The  breach  of  this  divine  and 
natural  friendship  is  the  very  work  of  the  devil  by  his  wicked 
members,  that  hath  not  taught  Scotland  only  disobedience 
unto  her  natural  and  lawful  prince  and  superior  power,  the 
king's  majesty  of  England^  but  also  the  contempt  of  Christ 
and  his  most  holy  word :  through  all  the  world  their  iniquity 
and  malice  is  fulfilled,  and  God''s  mercy  sufficiently  declared; 
for  seeing  they  will  not  repent,  he  revengeth  their  injustice 
with  his  most  dreadful  ire,  not  only  extenuating  their  force 
and  diminishing  their  strength,  but  also  infatuateth  and 
turneth  into  foolishness  their  most  prudent  and  circumspect 
counsels.  As  it  appeared  in  this  battle,  where  as  God  used 
your  grace  as  a  means,  to  your  immortal  renown,  to  obtain 
a  glorious  and  celestial  victory  against  his  enemies  and  yours, 
that  were  not  only  match  and  equal  in  force  with  your  army, 
but  also  treble,  or  at  the  least  double,  as  strangers  report, 

The  war  with  Scotland  originated  in  Henry  the  eighth's  claim  of 
homage  from  the  kings  of  Scotland  to  the  English  crown.  See  Burnet's 
Hist.  Reform.] 


TO  THE   FIRST  EDITION. 


XIII 


in  number  at  the  first  onset.    A  gracious  and  good  beginning 
at  the  first  brunt  of  your  grace's  godly  vocation  unto  so 
high  honour,  not  only  to  defend  the  king's  majesty's  most 
noble  person  and  the  realm,  but  also  to  better  and  perfect 
the  crown,  if  God  will,  in  reconcihng  the  unnatural  and 
ungodly  hatred  between  two  members  of  one  body,  which 
of  right  and  office  should  be  as  the  right  hand  and  the  left, 
in  peace  and  amity  to  resist  and  withstand  the  force  of  all 
strange  and  foreign  assaults  and  violence.    And  as  this 
victory  and  triumph  is  to  be  rejoiced  at,  so  the  end  why 
God  gave  it  is  most  diligently  to  be  considered ;  who  ^iveth 
the  upper  hand  in  the  world  to  godly  princes,  because  his 
afflicted  church  should  have  some  place  to  rest  itself  in,  and 
the  kingdom  of  God  to  be  amplified  in  truth  and  verity  : 
the  effect  thereof  must  be  followed,  that  as  well  the  ministry 
of  the  church  be  enriched  with  the  word  of  God,  as  the  civil 
kingdom  with  worldly  honour,  as  I  am  assured  your  most 
noble  grace  right  well  knoweth.    Notwithstanding,  because 
the  right  of  every  just  and  lawful  heir  is  half  lost,  and  more, 
when  his  title  and  claim  is  unknown,  I  have  written  this 
little  book,  containing  what  Christ  is,  and  what  his  Office  is, 
that  every  godly  man  may  put  to  his  helping  hand  to  re- 
store him  again  unto  his  kingdom;  and  dedicated  the  same 
unto  your  noble  grace,  unto  whom  Gpd  hath  not  only  com- 
mitted the  defence  of  a  pohtic  and  civil  realm,  but  also  the 
defence  of  his  dear  Son's  right,  Jesus  Christ  in  the  church, 
who  hath  sustained  open  and  manifest  wrong  this  many 
years,  as  it  appeareth  by  his  evidence  and  writings,  the  gospel 
sealed  with  his  precious  blood.    And  whereas  I  cannot  make 
his  cause  and  right  as  plain  as  it  meriteth,  nor  as  it  is  decent 
for  him  that  would  offer  and  prefer  any  matter  to  so  prudent 
and  mighty  a  prince,  my  good  will  and  diligence  is  accepted 
of  God  in  Christ,  I  doubt  not,  though  it  be  very  httle  that 
I  can  do ;  and  trust  likewise,  that  for  the  merits  of  this  simple 


xiv 


DEDICATION. 


and  manifest  verity,  your  grace  will  pardon  my  bold  enterprise, 
and  accept  this  poor  vi^ork  in  good  and  gracious  part:  and 
then  it  shall  appear  your  most  noble  puissance  to  be  con- 
joined with  like  clemency  and  mercy,  the  which  virtue  of 
all  other  causeth  man  most  to  resemble  the  Almighty  €rod, 
that  made  not  only  all  things  for  his  mercy's  sake,  but  like- 
wise with  mercy  overcame  himself,  and  his  rigorous  justice 
also;  that  the  defaults  of  mortal  man  might  find  solace  in 
Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son,  who  preserve  the  king  his 
highness,  your  most  noble  grace,  with  all  the  council  and 
the  whole  realm,  to  the  glory  of  God !  Amen. 

Tiguri,  8  Decembris,  1547 

Your  grace's  most 

Humble  Orator, 

JOHN  HOPER. 


A  TREATISE 

OP 

CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


THE  FIRST  CHAPTER. 


Forasmuch  as  Almighty  God,  of  his  infinite  mercy  and  God  hath 

11*1  11'  •     prepared  a 

goodness,  prepared  a  means  whereby  Adam  and  his  posterity  means  for 

1  jjjg  restora- 

might  be  restored  again  unto  their  original  justice^  and  tionof man. 
perfection,  both  of  body  and  soul,  and  to  live  eternally  unto 
the  same  end  that  they  were  created  for,  to  bless  and  magnify 
for  ever  the  immortal  and  living  God ;  it  is  the  office  of 
every  true  Christian,  before  all  other  studies,  travails,  and  The  office 
pains,  that  he  shall  sustain  for  the  time  of  this  brief  and  christian, 
miserable  life,  to  apply  himself  with  all  dihgent  force  ^  and 
labour,  to  know  perfectly  this  means,  ordained  by  God  for 
our  salvation ;  and,  the  thing  once  known,  diligently  with 
heart,  soul,  and  mind,  to  follow  the  means,  until  such  time 
as  the  effect  and  end  be  obtained,  wherefore  the  means  was 
appointed.    The  means  was  shewed  unto  Adam  at  his  first  when  and 
and  original  transgression,  the  seed  of  a  woman",  which  should  were  first 
break  the  head  of  the  serpent,  destroy  the  kingdom  of  the  means  of 
devil,  and  restore  Adam,  and  as  many  as  knew  and  believed  tion. 
in  this  seed,  unto  life  everlasting.    And  as  the  sin  of  Adam,  As  Adam's 
the  only  occasion  oi  all  mans  misery,  was  derived  into  all  rivedintoaii 

.  his  posterity 

his  posterity,  and  made  [it]*  subject  unto  death  and  the  ire  of  {^JJJfj^^ 
God  for  ever ;  so  was  this  seed  from  the  beginning  a  very  children  of 

^         ^  •'  wrath,  so 

true  and  sufficient  remedy  to  as  many  as  believed ;  and  God,  Christ's 

^  ,    •'  '  nghteous- 

for  his  promise'  sake,  quit  and  dehvered  man  from  the  right  "j^g^'jn'Jo' 
and  claim  of  the  devil,  and  by  mercy  restored  the  place,  fuj^to^^^ke' 

1        ,  ,  T)  them  the 

*  Kighteousness.   K.  children  of 

*  DUigence,  force.  R. 

^  That  the  seed  of  the  woman  should  break.  R. 

*  (it)  supplied  from  R. 


16  A   TREATISE  OF 


[cH. 


The  con-  that  was  by  malice  and  contempt  lost.  He  that  would  con- 
sideration of  .  T        •       /•    A  1  +llP 

thegreat-  sider  diligently  these  two  thmgs,  the  sm  of  Adam,  ana  lae 
God's°mercy  mercv  of  God,  should  find  himself  far  unable  to  express,  or 

and  the  sin  '  „    .  #.  ,i  „  „+lioi. 

of  man.  gufiiciently  think,  the  greatness  of  the  one  or  ot  the  otner, 
^nsTt'ion  when  they  are  so  far  passing  the  reason  and  understandmg 
KVnd.  of  man.  All  the  solace  and  joy  of  Adam^s  posterity  consisteth 
God'sgrace.  solely  and  only  in  this,  Rom.  v.  Ubi  abmdmit  delictum, 
superahundamt  et  gratia'.  The  benefits  and  merits  of  this 
^S'^e  seed  aboundeth  and  is  more  available  before  the  judgment 
%^7rT  of  God,  than  sin,  the  flesh,  the  devil,  and  the  world.  This 
thrworid"  treasure  and  inestimable  riches  must  be  perfectly  known  of 
andttf'  every  person  that  will  be  saved.  It  is  only  in  Christ,  and 
condemn,    in  the  knowledge  of  him,  what  he  is,  and  what  is  his  office. 


THE  SECOND  CHAPTER, 

Containeth  what  Christ  is. 

Thepropo-  He  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God  and  perpetual  virgin 
book.  Mary;  both  God  and  man,  the  true  Messias,  promised  unto 
is.  man  from  the  beginning  of  his  fall :  whom  St  John  calleth 

the  Word  of  eternal  essence  and  divine  majesty,  saying.  In 
principio  erat  Sermo,  et  Sermo  erat  apud  Deum,  et  Sermo  erat 
Deus^  Joan.  i.  Saint  Paul,  ad  Coloss.  capite  i.  calleth  him 
"the  image  of  God,  &c."  unto  the  Hebrews,  cap.  i.,  "the 
brightness  of  God."  The  creed  of  Nice  calleth  him  Lumen 
de  Ivmine^,  the  natural  Son  of  God,  in  whom  dwelleth  the 
fountain  of  all  divinity  naturally,  as  Paul  saith.  Col.  ii..  In 
eo  inhabitat  plenitudo  divinitatis  corporaliter* ;  meaning,  that 
How  the  he  is  not  the  Son  of  God  by  adoption  or  acceptation  into 
the^ons^of  grace,  as  Abraham,  David,  and  other  holy  saints ;  biit  naturally 
the  Son  of  God,  equal  with  the  Father  in  all  things,  as  John 

1  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  abounded  much  more.  R. 
^  In  the  beginning  was  the  Wordj  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and 
the  Word  was  God.  R. 
^  Light  of  light.  R. 

■»  In  him  dwelt  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  R. 


God 


CHRIST  AND    HIS  OFFICE. 


17 


saith,  Vidimus  gloriam  ejus  tanquam  unigeniti  a  Patre^. 
Cap.  i.  So  doth  Saint  John  prove  him  in  all  his  writings  to 
be  the  very  true  and  everlasting  God,  and  not,  as  Ebion  and  The  heresy 
Cerinthus  said,  that  he  was  but  very  man  only :  he  was  made  Cerinthus. 
mortal  man,  as  John  saith,  Et  Sermo  ille  caro  /actus  est''. 
Cap.  i.,  to  save  the  damned  man  from  immortal  death,  and 
to  be  a  mediator  and  intercessor  unto  God  for  man.  Matt, 
xi.  John  iii.  Esay  xi. 

This  scripture  doth  not  only  teach  us  the  knowledge  of 
salvation,  but  doth  comfort  us  against  all  the  assaults,  subtilties, 
and  crafts  of  the  devil,  that  God  would  of  his  inestimable  The  great 
love  rather  suffer  his  only  Son  to  die  for  the  world,  than 
all  the  world  should  perish :  remaining  always,  as  he  was,  Christ  in 
very  God  immortal,  received  the  thing  he  was  not,  the  mortal  man'I'"^ 
nature  and  true  flesh  of  man,  in  the  which  he  died,  as  Peter  not  his 

Deity. 

saith,  1  Pet.  iv.  Irenseus,  p.  185,  hath  these  godly  words': 
Christiis  fuit  crucifixus  et  mortuus,  quiescente  Verio,  ut  crucifigi 
et  mori  possit^ .  The  divine  nature  of  Christ  was  not  rent,  nor  Christ  suf- 
torn,  nor  killed ;  but  it  obeyed  the  will  of  the  Father.  It  gave  according  to 
place  unto  the  displeasure  and  ire  of  God,  that  the  body  of 
Christ  might  die.  Being  always  equal  with  his  Father,  he 
could,  if  he  had  executed  his  divine  power,  have  dehvered 
his^  body  from  the  tyranny  of  the  Jews. 

These  words  of  Irenseus  doth  wonderfully  declare  unto 
us  what  Christ  is,  and  agreeth  with  Paul,  Phil.  ii.  Qui  cum 
in  forma  Dei  esset,  non  rapifiam  ariitratus  est  ut  esset  wqua- 
lis  Deo,  sed  semetipsum  inanivit,  formM  servi  sumpta^"  Seeing 
he  was  sent  into  the  world  to  suffer  this  most  cruel  death 
and  passion,  he  would  do  nothing  that  should  be  contrary 

^  And  we  saw  the  glory  of  him  as  the  glory  of  the  only-begotten  of 
the  Father.  R. 

«  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh.  R. 

'Ho-uT^a'^oi/To?  [Xiv  Tov  \6yov  ev  tw  iretpa^ecrdai  Koi  a-Tav- 
povtrdai  Kai  ciTrodi/rjiTKeiu.  Iren.  Op.  Par.  1710,  Lib.  iii.  contra  Haer. 
cap.  xix.  3.] 

"  Christ  was  crucified  and  dead,  the  Word  giving  place  that  he 
might  be  crucified  and  die.  R. 
[9  This,  ed.  1547:  his,  R.] 

^°  Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God :  but  he  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  on  him  the 
form  of  a  servant.  R. 

[hooper. J 


„  - 

unto  his  vocation;  but,  with  patience  praying  for  his  enemies, 
submitted  himself  unto  the  ignominy  and  contempt  of  the 
Christ  .     cross,  suffering  pains  innumerable  without  grudge  or  murmur 
bodfby  the  against  the  holy  will  of  his  Father :  his  godhead  hiding  itself 
Godhead"''  until  the  third  day,  when  it  restored  the  soul  again  unto  the 
body,  and  caused  it  to  rise  with  great  triumph  and  glory, 
Rom.  i.  Matt,  xxviii.  John  xx.  Luke  xxiv.  Mark  xvi.  re- 
peating the  doctrine  that  before  his  death  he  preached  unto 
the  world,  that  he  was  both  king  and  lord,  high  bishop  and 
priest,  both  of  heaven  and  of  earth:  Data  est  mihi  omnis 
potestas  in  ccelo  et  in  terra:  Euntes  ergo  docete  omnes  gentes, 
iSfG\    Matt,  xxviii. 

He  that  before  was  most  vile  and  contemptible  in  the 
sight  of  the  world,  now  by  right  and  just  title  acclaimeth 
Christ's  the  dominion  and  empire  of  all  the  world.  How  mighty  a 
Safedbythe  prince  he  is,  the  creation  of  the  world  and  the  preservation 
preserva-  thereof  declareth.  How  merciful  towards  them  that  repent, 
world,  his  we  know  by  daily  experience  in  ourselves,  and  by  the  ex- 
experience  ample  of  other,  Adam,  David,  Manasse,  and  Peter.  How 

in  ourselves       '■  ».i  •  ^         j^i^  a> 

and  cruer  and  rigorous  lor  sin,  the  punishment  that  we  suiter 
inotiiers.    and  the  calamities  of  this  world  declareth,  specially  the 

Godasevere  _  ,  .... 

punisher     death  of  his  most  innocent  body.    How  immortal  his  ire  is 

of  sin.  _ 

immortal  ^'g^'iost  such  as  repent  not,  Saul,  Pharao,  Judas,  with  other, 
against  the  declare.    How  mighty  and  fearful  a  Lord  this  is,  our  Saviour 

impenitent.  o    ./  ' 

Jesus  Christ,  read  his  title  and  style,  Naum  i.  where  the 
prophet  threateneth  the  destruction  of  Nineve  and  the  whole 
kingdom  of  the  Assyrians.  As  the  princes  of  the  world 
use  to  declare  in  their  letters  patent,  of  what  power,  force, 
and  strength  they  be  of,  and  the  names  of  the  realms  and  domi- 
nions that  they  have  under  their  protection  and  governance, 
to  fear^  their  enemies,  that  they  make  no  resistance,  nor 
move  not  the  peace  of  so  mighty  a  prince :  so  such  a  title 
The  prophet  giveth  the  prophet  unto  God,  to  fear^  the  city  of  Nineve  and 
EJrd.  kingdom  of  the  Assyrians,  saying,  Quid  cogitatis  contra  Domi- 
num?  Ipse  consummationem  facit,  nec  consurgit  vice  altera 
tribulatio*.     This  is  the  style  of  the  God  omnipotent,  our 

1  All  power  is  given  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  :  go  therefore,  and 
teach  all  nations,  &c.  R. 

2  Severe.    R.  '  [Fear,  frighten.] 

*  What  do  ye  imagine  against  the  Lord  ?    He  will  make  an  utter 
destruction :  affliction  shall  not  rise  up  the  second  time.  R. 


m.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


19 


Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  in  whose  name  all  powers  bow  their 
knees  in  heaven,  in  earth,  and  in  hell.  Philip,  ii. 


CAPUT  III. 

[THE  THIRD  CHAPTER.] 

Now  that  the  scripture  hath  taught  us  to  know,  that  of  the  office 

of  Christ 

Christ  is  both  God  and  man,  I  wiU  briefly  entreat  of  his 
oflice :  first,  of  his  priesthood ;  then,  of  his  kingdom  and 
reign  over  his  church  till  the  world's  end;  then,  for  ever,  in 
solace  with  his  elect,  in  perpetual  mercy  and  favour;  with 
such  as  contemn  in  this  world  his  holy  commandment  and 
pleasure,  in  severe  justice  and  immortal  hatred  and  ire  for 
ever.    John  iii. 

Saint  Paul,  in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  proveth  him 
to  be  the  priest,  called  by  God  unto  that  function  and  office  of  Christ's 

„,,.,,.,  •  7    •/•       •       •  /.  priesthood. 

of  the  high  bishop  :  Christus  non  glonficavit  seipsum  ut  fieret 
Pontifex^  sed  is  qui  dixerat  ei,  Filius  mem  es  tu,  ego  hodie 
genui  te.  Et  alibi,  Tu  es  sacerdos  in  ceternum,  secumdum  ordinem 
MelcTiisedeJc^.  Caput  v.  By  whose  obedience  unto  the  cross 
he  gave  everlasting  health  to  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  and 
in  all  things  executed  the  very  true  office  of  a  bishop,  to  The  first 

-1  11  1-1  1     part  of  the 

whom  it  appertained  to  teach  the  people ;  which  was  the  office  of  a 

.         ,       ~,  .  bishop  is 

chiefest  part  of  the  bishop  s  office,  and  most  diligently  and  to  teach, 
straitly  commanded  by  God.    As  all  the  books  of  Moses  and 
the  prophets  teach,  and  Christ  commanded  Peter,  John  xx. 
Paul  all  the  bishops  and  priests  of  his  time.   Acts  xx. 

Of  Christ's  authority  and  preaching,  Moses  and  Stephen, 
Acts  vii.  Deut.  xviii.  saith  thus:  PropJietam  suscitabit  vobis 
Deus  vester  e  fratribus  vestris  similem  mei,  ilium  audietis^. 
He  that  will  not  hearken  unto  his  voice,  shall  be  as  none  He  that  win 

not  hearken 

of  the  people  of  God.  This  authority  to  preach  the  1  ather  to  the^ymce 
gave  unto  him  in  the  hearing  of  the  apostles.  Matt.  iii.  xvii.,  ^^^'^^^^j^^ 

^  Christ  took  not  to  himself  this  honour  to  be  made  the  high  priest ;  ^"^^^  °^ 
but  he  that  said  unto  him.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  begat  1  thee. 
And  in  another  place.  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of  Mel- 
chisedec.  R. 

^  Your  God  will  raise  up  unto  you  a  prophet  of  your  brethren : 
Him  shall  ye  hear.  R. 


20 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


Christ  re- 
vealed all 
things  ne- 
cessary to 
salvation. 


The  church  and  bound  his  church  to  receive  his  doctrine,  saying,  This 
doctrine  of  ^  is  my  dear  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  dehght,  hear  him.  He 
taught  the  will  of  his  Father  unto  the  world,  and  how  they 
might  be  saved  from  death  infernal,  John  xvii.  vi.  Matt,  xi, 
V.  vi.  vii.  so  that  they  repented  and  believed  the  gospel.  Matt, 
iii.  Mark  x. ;  left  nothing  untaught,  but,  as  a  good  doctor, 
manifested  unto  his  audience  all  things  necessary  for  the 
health  of  man:  as  the  woman  confessed,  John  iv.  Messias 
cum  mnerit  docehit  nos  omnia^.    He  preached  not  only  him- 
self, but  sent  his  apostles  and  disciples  to  manifest  unto  the 
world,  that  the  acceptable  time  of  grace  was  come,  and  the 
sacrifice  for  sin  born  into  the  world,  Matt.  x.  John  x.  And 
Christ  did   after  his  resurrection  he  gave  them  commandment  to  preach, 
send  his  dis- and  likewise  what  they  should  preach:   Ite  in  universum 

ciplcs  to 

preach,  but  mundum,  et  prcedicate  quce  ego  prcecepi  mbis,  evangeliwm  omni 

3.1so  tfiu^ht  *  ^       t  •  -r 

what  they   creaturw^.    Matt,  xxviii.     The  which  doctrine  Luke  thus 

should  ,        .  .  . 

preach.  expoundeth :  Poenitentiam  ac  remissionem  peccatorum  in  omnes 
gentes  in  nomine  meo.  initio  facto  ah  Hierosolymis^ .  Luke 
xxiv.  In  his  name,  to  say,  in  the  knowledge  and  faith  of 
his  merits,  they  should  preach  repentance  and  remission  of 
sin  unto  all  the  world :  as  they  did  most  sincerely  and  plainly, 
without  all  glosses  or  additions  of  their  own  invention,  and 
were  as  testimonies^  of  the  truth,  and  not  the  authors  there- 
of.   Acts  i.  John  i. 

So  doth  Paul  teach  with  gravity*  and  manifest  words, 
what  is  to  be  judged  of  himself  and  all  other  ministers  :  Deus 
erat  in  Christo,  inquit,  mundum  reconcilians  sibi,  non  imputans 
ei  peccata  sua,  et  posuit  in  nobis  sermonem  reconciliationis. 
Itaque  nomine  Christi  legatione  fungimur,  tanquam  Deo  hortante 
vos  per  nos,  rogamus  pro  Christo  reconciliemini  Deo\ 

1  The  Messias,  when  he  cometh,  shall  teach  us  all  things.  R. 

2  Go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  those  things  I  have  commanded 
you,  the  gospel,  to  every  creature.  R. 

2  Repentance  and  remission  of  sins  to  all  nations  in  my  name,  be- 
ginning at  Hierusalem.  R. 

*  Witnesses.    R.  s  Grave  R 

«  For  God  was  in  Christ,  and  reconciled  the  world  to  himself  not 
imputing  their  sins  unto  them;  and  hath  committed  to  us  the  word  of 
reconciliation.  Now  then  are  we  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God 
did  beseech  through  us  :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  that  ye  be  recon- 
ciled to  God.  R. 


How  the 
ministers 
are  to  be 
esteemed. 


nr.] 


CHRIST   AND    HIS  OFFICE. 


21 


Always  in  their  doctrine  they  taught  the  thing,  that 
Christ  first  taught,  and   God's  holy  Spirit  inspired  them. 
Gal.  i.  2  Cor.  iii.     Holy  apostles  never  took  upon  them  to  Theaposties 
be  Christ's  vicar  in  the  earth,  nor  to  be  his  lieutenant ;  but  upon  them 
said,  Sic  nos  mstimet  homo,  ut  ministros  Christi  ac  dispensatores  Christ's 

.  vicar. 

mysteriorum  DeV     1  Cor.  iv.    In  the  same  epistle  he  bindeth  How  far  the 
the  Corinthians  to  follow  him  in  nothing  but  whereas  he  fol-  are  to  be 
lowed  Christ,   cap.  xi.  Imitatores  mei  estote,   sicut  et  ego 
Christi^      They  ministered  not  in  the  church,  as  though 
Christ  were  absent,  although  his  most  glorious  body  was  de- 
parted  corporally  into  the  heavens  above ;   but  as  Christ  Christ  being 
present,  that  always  governeth  his  church  with  his  Spirit  of  absent  is 
truth,  as  he  promised.  Matt,  xxviii.    Ecce  ego  voMscum  sum  presentwith 

-  .  „  his  church. 

usque  ad  consummahonem  secuh 

In  the  absence  of  his  body,  he  hath  commended  the  pro- 
tection and  governance  of  his  church  unto  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  same  God,  and  one  God  with  the  Father  and  his  divine  The  power 
nature  :  whose  divine  puissance  and  power  overmatcheth  the  of  Christ, 
force  of  the  devil,  so  that  hell  itself  cannot  take  one  of  Christ's 
flock  out  of  God's  protection.    John  x.    And  this  defence  The  con- 
dureth  not  for  a  day,  nor  year'",  but  shall  demour"  for  ever,  thereof, 
till  this'^  church  be  glorified  at  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh. 
John  XV. 

It  was  no  little  pain  that  Christ  suffered  in  washing  away  as  Christ  in 
the  sins  of  this  church :  therefore  he  will  not  commit  the  son  hath^re'^ 
defence  thereof  unto  man.    It  is  no  less  glory  to  defend  and  church,  so 
keep  the  thing  won  by  force,  than  it  is  by  force  to  obtain  fend  it. 
the  victory.   Adam,  Abel,  Abraham,  Moses,  nor  Aaron,  could  Abraham 
not  win  this  church  out  of  the  devil's  tyranny :  no  more  can  faithful 
they  defend  it,  delivered.     For  although  by  imputation  of  imputation 
Christ's  justice    these  men  and  all  other  faithfuls  be  de-  righteous- 
livered  from  the  tyranny  of  the  devil  and  condemnation  of 
the  law :  yet  had  and  hath  the  devil  his  very  friends  dweUing 
within  the  nature  of  man,  corrupt"  as  long  as  he  liveth ;  the 

Let  a  man  so  esteem  us,  as  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of 
the  secrets  of  God.  R. 

"  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  as  I  am  of  Christ.  R. 
'  Behold,  I  am  with  you  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  R. 
[i"  Here,  ed.  1647  ]         "  Endure.   R.  His.  R. 

Righteousness.    R.  "  Corrupt  man.  R. 


22  A   DECLARATION   OF  L^^' 

concupiscence  and  rebellion  of  man's  nature,  who  ceaseth  nor 
day  nor  night  to  betray  man  again  to  the  devil,  except  with 
the  motion  of  true  penitence^  this  concupiscence  be  kept  under 
Faith  in  God  in  fear  and  faith;  which  two  virtues  be  so  infirm  in  man, 
ftarofGod  that  be  he  never  so  perfect,  yet  falleth  he  from  Grod  some- 
inS"^*"    time,  as  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  and  Aaron.  Isa. 

xliii.  Num.  xix.  Therefore  he  keepeth  the  defence  and  gover- 
nance of  the  church  only  and  solely  himself,  in  whom  the 
The  apostles  devil  hath  not  a  jot  of  right.  Though  the  apostles  were 
terfand"'^'  instructed  in  all  truth,  and  left  the  same  written  unto  his 
thVtruth,  church;  yet  were  they  ministers,  servants,  testimonies^,  and 
Christ's  preachers  of  this  verity,  and  not  Christ's  vicars  in  earth  and 
Ilith!"^°°  lieutenant  to  keep  the  keys  of  heaven,  hell,  and  purgatory; 

but  only  appointed  to  approve  the  thing  to  be  good,  that 
God's  laws  commanded,  and  that  to  be  ill,  that  the  word 
of  God  condemned. 

Seeing  that  Christ  doth  govern  his  church  always  by  his 
The  minis-  holy  Spirit,  and  bindeth  all  the  ministers  thereof  unto  the 
the  only     sole  word  of  God,  what  abomination  is  this,  that  any  bishop 
God.        of  Rome,  Hierusalem,  Antioche,  or  elsewhere,  should  acclaim 
to  be  Christ's  vicar  in  the  earth,  and  take  upon  him  to  make 
any  laws  in  the  church  of  God  to  bind  the  conscience  of  man, 
beside  the  word  of  God ;  and,  in  placing  of  their  superstition 
and  idolatry,  put  the  word  of  God  out  of  his  place !  By 
what  law,  by  whom,  or  where  hath  any  this  title  given  unto 
him,  to  be  God's  vicar  and  lieutenant  upon  the  earth? 
The  bishops      Moscs^,  the  best  prince  that  ever  was  and  most  godly 
take°L^on    govcmor  of  the  people,  and'  Aaron,  that  fidele*  high  priest 
titi^Moses  and  preacher  of  God's  word,  never  usurped  this  title,  to  be 

and  Aaron  j   /^i    •  i  i 

never^^     as  a  second  Ohrist  and  master  over  mens  conscience.  If 
godly  Moses  and  his  brother  Aaron  never  acclaimed  this 
title  in  the  earth,  doubtless  it  is  a  foul  and  detestable  arro- 
aeseYattef  ^^ncy,  that  these  ungodly  bishops  of  Rome  attribute  unto 
hishops  of  themselves  to  be  the  heads  of  Christ's  church,  the  more 

Rome  shew  iryni 

whosemem-to  be  lamented.    He   that  considereth  their  life,  and  con- 
ferreth  it  with  the  scripture,  will  judge  by  the  authority 


are, 


'  Repentance.    R.  *  Witnesses.  R. 

P  Moses  and  Aaron,  1647.]  '  Supplied  from  R. 
5  Faithful.   R.  «  Because  he.  R, 


III.] 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


23 


thereof,  that  they  were  not  for  these  many  years  worthy  to 
be  accounted  any  members  qf  God's  church,  but  the  members 
of  the  devil  and  the  first-begotten  of  antichrist. 

Thus  is  true'',  the  see  of  Rome  is  not  only  a  tyranny  and  The  see 
pestilence  of  body  and  soul,  but  the  nest  of  all  abomination,  a^tyranny 
God  give  him  grace  and  all  his  successors  to  leave  their  abomi-  and  soul, 
nation,  and  to  come  unto  the  light  of  God's  word !  This 
beast  is  preached  unto  the  people  to  be  a  man  that  cannot 
err,  his  authority  to  be  above  God  and  his  laws,  and  to 
be  the  prince  upon  the  earth  of  all  princes :  but  God  will 
judge  him  as  he  is,  a  murderer  of  both  body  and  soul,  and 
punish  the  princes  of  the  world,  that  uphold  his  abomination. 

Moses  and  Aaron,  by  the  testimony  of  the  scripture,  never  Moses  and 

^ELron  fells 

taught,  but  that  they  received  of  God,  and  at  the  last  both 
they  offended,  Num.  xx. :  insomuch  that  God  gave  sentence 
against  them,  that  none  of  them  both  should  enter  into  the 
land  of  promise  for  their  arrogancy  and  pride.     The  text 
saith,  "  Because  ye  were  unfaithful  unto  me."  This  false  belief 
was  of  no  doubt"  they  had  in  the  power  of  God;  for  the 
miracle  was  done,  as  God  said :  but  that  they  attributed  too 
much  unto  their  own  power,  and  said,  Audite  reielles,  mm 
de  petra  ista  nos  educemus  nobis  aquas^  ?    For  the  changing 
of  the  third  person  in  this  sentence  into  the  first,  the  ire  of 
God  pronounced  sentence  of  death  against  these  two  very 
godly  ministers  of  his  word.    They  sinned,  because  they  said 
not,  "  Hear,  ye  rebellious,  cannot  Jehovah,  the  Omnipotent, 
give  ye  water  of  this  stone?"    And  is  this  first-begotten  of 
antichrist,  the  bishop  of  Eome,  without  sin,  that  changeth 
not  only  the  person  in  a  sentence,  but  the  whole  sentence, 
yea,  the  whole  law  of  God  and  of  man  ?    So  that  he  reigneth 
in  the  conscience  above  the  law  of  God,  and  will  save  him 
that  God  hath  damned,  and  damn  him  that  God  hath  saved ; 
yet  [this]  person  and  man  of  sin  cannot  err !    But  he  that 
spared  not  to  kill'°  good  Moses  and  Aaron  for  the  abuse  of 
the  word  of  God,  will  not  favour  this  wicked  man,  nor  none 
of  his  holy  doctors,  at  the  terrible  day  of  judgment. 

^  This  is  most  true.   R.  "  Not  of  any  doubt.  R. 

^  Hear,  ye  rebellious,  shall  we  bring  you  water  out  of  this  rock  ?  R. 
"  To  kill,  omitted  in  R. 


24 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


Naum,  the  prophet,  doth  give  God  a  wonderful  name, 
which  the  Latin  nor  the  Greek  cannot  properly  express  with- 
out cu-cumlocution,  Noter  hu  leobau',  quasi  injuriarum  memo- 
riam  retinens,  et  ulciscendi  occasionem  expectans\    He  is  the 
God  that  writeth  aU  these  blasphemies  in  his  book  of  re- 
membrance; and  when  he  hath  shewed  his  mercy  sufficiently, 
God  is  slow  he  revengeth  the  ill  that  man  thinketh  is  forgotten.    It  is 
vengeance,  of  his  superabundant  mercy  that  he  throweth  not  suddenly 
compenscth  fire  upon  the  world  for  sin ;  and  not  that  he  is  asleep,  or 
ness^with"    cannot  do  it.    Right  well  judged  Valerius  Maximus%  better 
the  seventy  ^^^^  ^^^^  christian  men :  Lento  quidem 

punishment  .  .        .  i  •,  , 

when  it     aradu  ad  vindictam  sui  procedvt  divma  ira;  sea  gravitate 

Cometh.  ,  z  •  4 

supplicii  tarditatem  compensabit 

Because  God  hath  given  this  light  unto  my  countrymen, 
which  be  all  persuaded,  (or  else  God  send  them  to  be  per- 
suaded !)  that  the  bishop  of  Rome  nor  none  other  is  Christ's 
vicar  upon  the  earth ;  it  is  no  need  to  use  any  long  or  copious 
oration :  it  is  so  plain  that  it  needeth  no  probation ;  the 
very  properties  of  antichrist,  I  mean  of  Ohrisfs  great  and 
principal  enemy,  is  so  openly  known  to  all  men,  that  are 
not  blinded  with  the  smoke  of  Rome,  that  they  know  him 
to  be  the  beast  that  John  describeth  in  the  Apocalypse,  as 
well  as  the  logician  knoweth  that  risibilitate  distinguitur 
homo  a  ceteris  animantibus^ 
^|know-  This  knowledge  of  Chrisfs  supremity  and  continual  pre- 
Christ's     sence  in  the  church  admitteth  no  lieutenant  nor  general 

continual  ... 

presence  in  yicar.    Likewise  it  admitteth  not  the  decrees  and  laws  of  men, 

the  church 

admitteth   brought  into  the  church  contrary  unto  the  word  and  scripture 

no  general  =  _       _  '■ 

vicar.  of  God,  which  is  only  sufficient  to  teach  all  verity  and  truth 
for  the  salvation  of  man,  as  it  shall  appear  in  this  chapter 
following. 

vTxh  xin         Nah.  i.  2.] 
^  As  though  he  should  say,  keeping  the  remembrance  of  injuries, 
and  expecting  an  occasion  of  revengement.  R. 

P  Val.  Max.  Op.  Leidse,  1726,  Lib.  i.  cap.  i.  De  religione,  p.  35.] 
*  The  wrath  of  God  goeth  forth  slowly  unto  revengement,  but  yet 
with  the  grievousness  of  the  punishment  he  recompenseth  his  slack- 
ness. R. 

»  By  the  faculty  of  laughing  man  is  distinguished  from  other 
living  creatures.  R. 


IV.J 


CHRIST    AND    HIS  OFFICE. 


25 


CAPUT  IV 

[THE  FOURTH  CHAPTER.] 

Chkist,  the  only  light  of  the  world,  sent  from  his  Father, 
and  born"  mortal  man,  according  unto  the  scripture,  began 
to  teach  the  word  of  God  purely  and  sincerely  unto  the  world, 
and  chose  ministers  and  apostles  convenient  for  the  expe- 
dition thereof;  and  approved  to  be  the  very  Messias  by  God  Christ  con- 
the  Father,  Matt.  iii.  xvii.  John  v.  taught  his  disciples  the  doctrine  by 

11  1  1  testi- 

truth  by  the  only  law,  written  by  Moses  and  the  prophets,  and  mony  ofthe 
not  by  unwritten  verities.  And  in  all  controversies  and  doubtful 
questions  he  answered  his  contraries'^  by  the  word  of  God. 
In  that  wonderful  temptation  of  the  devil.  Matt.  iv.  by  col- 
lation of  the  places  of  scripture  he  killed  the  devil  with  his 
own  sword,  (falsely  and  in  a  wrong  sentence  alleging  the 
word  of  God,)  by  the  word  of  God  godly  applied. 

When  his  disciples  were  reprehended  by  the  Pharisees, 
as  breakers  of  the  sabbath,  Matt.  xii.  he  excused  their  fact 
by  the  law,  iVora  legistis  quid  fecerit  David  et  qui  cum  eo 
erant'^?  So  likewise,  Matt.  xv.  xix.  in  all  controversies  he 
made  the  law  judge  between  his  enemies  and  him.  When 
he  was  desired  to  teach  a  young  man  the  way  to  heaven, 
and  to  come  to  everlasting  life,  he  said.  In  lege  quid  scriptum 
est  ?  Quomodo  legis^  ?  Matt.  xxii.  Likewise  the  Saddu- 
cees,  that  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  :  Erratis,  inquit, 
mscienies  scripturas  et  mrbum  Dei^"  The  rich  man  in 
hejl,  that  was  so  desirous  that  his  brothers"  living  in  the 
earth  might  have  knowledge  and  warning  to  beware  they 
were  not  damned  in  time  to  come,  would  gladly  have  warned 
them  himself  for  a  more  surety,  Luke  xvi.  that  the  mes- 
sage should  be  done.  Abraham  answered,  Hahent  Mosen 
et  prophetas;  audient  illos^^     The  scripture  teacheth  what 

"  Born,  omitted  in  R. 

'  His  contraries,  1547-  To  their  objections.  R. 
Have  you  not  read  what  David  did,  and  they  [which]  were  with 
him?  R. 

"  What  is  written  in  the  law?    How  readest  thou?  R. 
^"  You  err  (said  he),  not  knowmg  the  scriptures  and  the  word  of 
God.  R. 

"  Brethren.  R. 
They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  let  them  hear  them.  R. 


26 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


The  scrip-  heaven,  hell,  and  what  man  is,  and  what  Christ  is :  there- 
eth  whaf '  fore  Christ  sendeth  us  thither.  John  v.  Scrutamini,  inqmt, 

Christ  is, 

what  man     SCTipturaS ' 

ifeavenrnd  Again,  being  required  in  a  civil  matter  concerning  tribute 
and  obedience  unto  the  princes  of  the  world,  Matt.  xxii. 
he  said,  Beddite  quce  sunt  Ccesaris  Ccesari,  et  quae  sunt  Dei 
Deo.  "Give  unto  the  emperor  that  that  is  due  unto  the 
emperor,  and  unto  Cod  that  that  is  due  unto  God."  And 
under  the  name  of  the  emperor  he  understandeth  all  superior 
powers  appointed  over  the  people  by  God,  and  would  to 
give°  due  honour  unto  them  both,  as  Paul  teacheth.  Eom. 
xiii.  1  Pet.  ii. 

This  law  teacheth  man  sufficiently,  as  well  what  he  is 
bound  to  do  unto  God,  as  unto  the  princes  of  the  world. 
Nothing  can  be  desired  necessary  for  man,  but  in  this  law 
it  is  prescribed :  of  what  degree,  vocation,  or  caUing  soever 
Wherein     he  be,  his  duty  is  shewed  unto  him  in  the  scripture.  And 
dififereth  ^  in  this  it  differeth  from  man's  laws,  because  it  is  absolute, 
law.         perfect,  and  never  to  be  changed;  nothing  added  unto  it, 
nor  taken  from  it.    And  the  church  of  Christ,  the  more 
it  was  and  is  burdened  with  man's  laws,  the  farther  it  is 
from  the  true  and  sincere  verity  of  God's  word.    The  more 
man  presumeth  and  taketh  authority  to  interpretate  the  scrip- 
ture after  his  own  brain  and  subtle  wit,  and  not  as  the  verity 
of  [the]  ^  text  requireth,  the  more  he  dishonoureth  the  scrip- 
ture, and  blasphemeth  God,  the  author  thereof. 
The  office        It  is  the  office  of  a  good  man  to  teach  the  church  as 
minister.    Christ  taught,  to  revoke  all  errors,  and  such  as  err,  unto 
the  fold  of  Christ  only  by  the  word  of  Christ.     For  the 
The  water   Water  at  the  fountain's  head  is  more  wholesome  and  pure, 
purest  at    than  when  it  is  carried  abroad  in  rotten  pipes  or  stinking 
tain's  head,  ditches.    I  had  rather  follow  the  shadow  of  Christ,  than  the 
body  of  all  general  councils  or  doctors  since  the  death  of 
The  devil    Christ.    The  devil  never  slept,  but  always  by  his  ministers 

never 

ceaseth  to   attempted  to  destroy  the  verity  of  Christ's  religion  and  clean 
truth.       to  put  out  the  light  of  truth,  which  was  perfect  in  Christ's 
time  and  in  the  time  of  the  apostles.    None  since  that  time 

'  Search  the  scriptures,  saith  he.  R. 
^  Have  given.  R. 
^  Supplied  from  R. 


IV.] 


CHRIST  AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


27 


so  pure.    Saint  Hierome,  in  vita  Malchi*,  saith,  that  his  The  truth 

'  \  darkened  m 

time  was  darkness  in  the  respect  of  the  apostles'  time.        the  time  of 

,  Jerome. 

The  antiquity  of  the  world  doth  darken  the  verity  of  God's 
word ;  as  Varro'  saith  truth,  Vetustatem  multa  depravare, 
multa  etiam  tollere.  Et,  Tertium  sceculum,  inquit,  non  mdef 
eum  Jiomimm  qmm  vidit  primum''.  The  truth  of  God's  verity, 
the  more  it  is  used,  practised,  and  taught  after  the  wisdom  is  so  far 

'  ^  '  °  from  beingr 

of  man,  the  more  is  the  glory  and  perfection  thereof  darkened,  bettered  by 

o      J  L  ^  ^  man's  wis- 

It  is  the  contrary  in  all  human  arts,  as  Cicero  saith^ :  In  do™>  *at  it 

•'  IS  darkened 

htmanis  nihil  simul  inventum  et  perfectum  fuit,  usuqm  et  ex-  thereby. 
ercitatione  factum  sit ;   ut  hoc  prcestantiores  artes  qucedam 
fuerint,  qm  longius  ah  origine  sua  et  inventoribus  essent  de- 
ducted ^ 

The  church  of  God  must  therefore  be  bound  to  none  other 
authority  than  unto  the  voice  of  the  gospel  and  unto  the 
ministry  thereof,  as  Esay  saith,  chap.  viii.  Obsigna  legem  in 
discipulis  meis".  The  prophet  speaketh  of  such  darkness,  as 
should  follow  his  time,  concerning  the  coming  of  Messias,  the 
true  doctor  of  the  church :  therefore  [he] prayed  to  preserve 
the  true  heirs"  of  the  prophets,  and  that  it  would  please  him  to 
conjGirm  the  doctrine  of  truth  in  their  hearts,  lest  the  word  and 
true  understanding  of  the  word  by  the  devil  should  be  put 
out.  And  seeing  the  church  is  bound  unto  this  infallible  truth, 
the  only  word  of  God,  it  is  a  false  and  usurped  authority  that 
men  attribute  unto  the  clergy,  and  bind  the  word  of  God 
and  Christ's  church  to  the  succession  of  bishops  or  any  col- 
lege of  cardinals,  schools,  ministers,  or  cathedral  churches. 

[*  Ab  apostolis  usque  ad  nostri  temporis  faeceni,  &c.   Hieron.  Op. 
Veronse,  1735,  Tom.  ii.  col.  41.] 

Varronis  Op.  Amsterdam,  1623.  De  ling.  Lat.  Lib.  iv.  p.  6.] 

"  Oldness  corrupteth  many  things,  and  also  taketh  away  many 
things.  And  the  third  age  (quoth  he)  seeth  not  that  man  which  they 
saw.  R. 

['  Vid.  Cic.  de  claris  Oratoribus,  cap.  18.] 

*  In  human  things  nothing  is  made  perfect  so  soon  as  it  is  invented, 
but  by  use  and  exercise  it  is  wrought  out.  So  that  some  arts  are  by  so 
much  the  more  excellent  as  they  have  had  continuance  since  the  begin- 
ning, and  since  they  were  invented.  R. 

*  Seal  my  law  in  my  disciples.  R. 
^"  Supplied  from  R. 

"  Hearers.  R. 


28 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


The  minis-       Paul  would  no  man  to  give  faith'   to  any  person  or 
tfbebe^"  minister  in  the  church  of  God,  but  when  he  preacheth  the 
as  they      word  of  God  truly.    Gal.  i.    Men  may  have  the  gift  of  God 
wo?d  of  God  to  understand  and  interpretate  the  scripture  unto  other,  but 
never  authority  to  interpretate  it,  otherwise  than  it  interpret 
tateth  itself,  which  the  godly  mind  of  man  by  study,  medi- 
tation, and  conferring  of  one  place  thereof  with  the  other'. 
How  the     may  find ;  howbeit  some  more,  some  less,  as  God  giveth  his 
may^'and'    grace.     For  the  punishment  of  our  sins  God  leaveth  in  all 
fntSpreted.  men  a  great  imperfection ;  and  such  as  were  endued  with 
tions  anfthe  excellent  wit  and  learning  saw  not  always  the  truth.    As  it 
menfs^ofsinis  to  be  Seen  in  Basilius,  Ambrose,  Epiphanius,  Augustine, 
Bernard,  and  other,  though  they  stayed  themselves  in  the 
Tiie  greatest  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  erred  not  in  any  principal  article 

clerks  of  the    „  °  .-ii  , 

church  have  of  the  faith  :  vet  they  did  inordinately  and  more  than  enough 

erred  in  .  ip 

some        extol  the  doctrine  and  tradition  of  men,  and  after  the  death 

points. 

of  the  apostles  every  doctor's  time  was  subject  unto  such 
ceremony  and  man's  decrees,  that  was  neither  profitable  nor 
necessary.  Therefore  diligently  exhorted  Paul  the  church 
of  Christ  principally  to  consider  and  regard  the  foundation 
of  all  verity ;  meaning  that  doctors  of  the  church  had  their 
imperfection  and  faults.  Fundamenttm  (inquit)  mn  potest 
poni  aliud  prmter  id  quod  positum  est,  quod  est  Jesus  Christus^. 
In  these  few  words  is  stablished  all  our  faith,  and  all  false 
religion  reprehended. 

Upon  this  foundation  some  men  build  gold,  to  say,  godly 
confuted  the  ^'^'^  neccssaiy  doctrine:  as  Polycarpus,  that  confuted  the 
MarcYon!    ^^^^^1     Marcion,  De  essentia  Dei\  of  the  causes  of  sin  ;  that 
the  devil  and  man  is  the  cause  of  sin,  and  not  God,  nor  fatal 
destiny,  nor  the  influence  or  respects  of  the  planets.  He 
maintained  the  true  religion  of  God,  and  governed  the  church, 
poiiycarpus  as  the  scripture  taught,  which  he  learned  of  John  Evangelist, 
disciple.     and  defended  this'  truth  with  wonderful  constancy  and  martyr- 
dom. 

Basilius  and  many  other  retained  the  articles  of  the  faith  ; 

'  Faith  or  credit.  R. 
^  Another.  R. 

»  Another  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  which  is  aheady 
laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ.  R. 

^  Of  the  essence  of  God.    R.  5  jjj^  ^ 


IV.] 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


29 


but  they  instituted  the  hfe  and  rule  of  monks,  and  preferred  ^asiie  ai-^ 
that  kind  of  hfe  before  the  hfe  of  such  as  govern  in  the  com-  ™^'J^*(.^'°^;J 
monwealth  the  people  of  God,  and  persuaded  men  that  such  ™ie  of 
kind  of  hfe  was  a  very  divine  and  acceptable  honouring  of 
God. 

After  him  followed  such  as  augmented  this  ill,  and  said, 
it  was  not  only  acceptable  unto  God,  but  also  that  men  might 
deserve  therewith  remission  of  sin. 

Thus  a  little  and  a  little  the  devil  augmented  superstition, 
and  diminished  the  truth  of  God's  glory  :  so  that  we  see  no 
where  the  church  of  Christ  as  it  was  in  the  apostles'  time. 
Though  many  and  godly  verities  hath  been  brought  unto  light 
in  our  time  by  men  of  diverse  graces,  yet  is  not  the  truth 
of  necessary  verities  plainly  shewed  by  them.  Lest  man 
should  too  much  glory  in  himself,  he  permitted  them  to  err 
in  certain  points :  as  Luther,  of  a  blessed  memory,  which 
wrote  and  preached  the  gospel  of  justification,  no  man  better  ; 
yet  in  the  cause  of  the  sacrament  he  erreth  concerning  the 
corporal  presence  of  Chrisfs  natural  body,  that  there  is  no 
man  can  err  more.  I  shall  have  occasion  to  write  the  truth 
concerning  this  matter  hereafter.  It  is  no  reproach  of  the 
dead  man,  but  mine  opinion  unto  all  the  world,  that  the 
scripture  solely  and  the  apostles'  church  is  to  be  followed, 
and  no  man's  authority,  be  he  Augustine,  TertuUian,  or  other, 
cherubim  or  cherabim. 

Unto  the  rules  and  canons  of  the  scripture  must  man  Reforma- 
trust,  and  reform  his  errors  thereby ;  or  else  he  shall  not  made  ac- 
reform  himself,  but  rather  deform  his  conscience.    The  church  thecanons 
of  the  Romans,  Corinthians,  and  other,  the  seven  churches  word, 
that  John  writeth  of  in  the  Apocalypse,  were  in  all  things 
reformed  unto  the  rule  and  form  prescribed  by  the  everlasting 
God.    The  image  of  these  churches  I  always  print  in  my 
mind.    And  wheresoever  I  come,  I  look  how  near  they  re- 
semble the  afore  rehearsed,  and  whether  their  preachers  preach 
simply  without  dispensation  of  any  part  of  God's  most  ne- 
cessary word ;  and  whether  all  the  occasions  of  idolatry  be 
taken  away,  as  images,  whom  Gregory^  calleth  the  books  of 

«  In.  R. 

[J  Quod  legentibus  scriptura,  hoc  idiotis  praestat  pictura  cernentibus. 
S.  Greg.  Op.  Paris.  1672,  Tom.  ii.  col.  938.  Lib.  ix.  Indic.  iv.  Ep.  ix.] 


so  A  DECLAKATION  OP 


[cH. 


the  laymen,  though  this  title  be  against  the  second  command- 
ment, and  never  approved  by  the  old  testament  nor  the  new, 
by  word  or  example. 
The  occa-  Where  as  the  occasion  is  not  removed,  the  word  of  Grod 
idolatry  must  needs  stand  in  hazard  :  for  God  will  not  (say  the  wisdom 
removed,  of  man  what  it  list)  have  his  church  pestered  with  any  kmd 
have  his  of  idolatry ;  and  to  make  God  and  the  devil  agree  in  one 
pestered  church,  it  is  impossible.  St  John  hath  wonderful  words  in 
idndof^    the  Apocalypse,  Chap.  iii.  unto  the  church  of  the  Laodi- 

idolatry.  r       j  r    ^         j.  _  ^..7  jr  -j 

ceans :  Scio  opera  tua,  qma  neque  fngidus  neqm  jermaus. 
Utinam  frigidus  esses  aut  fervidus  I  itaqm  qmniam  tepidus 
es,  et  nec  frigidus  nec  fervidus^  incipiam  te  evomere  de  ore 
meo^.    These  words  are  very  necessary  to  be  borne  in  mind. 
We  must  be  For  he  that  is  neither  hot  nor  cold,  but  indifferent  to  use 
advancing   the  knowledge  of  God's  word  and  Christ's  church  with  the 
and  not  in-  word  and  gloss  of  man ;  that  teacheth  the  use  of  images  in 
'    " "    the  church,  before  he  can  prove  by  the  authority  of  God's 
word  that  they  may  be  suffered  in  the  church,  doth  not  well. 
They  have  been  the  occasion  of  great  hurt  and  idolatry. 
Neither  the  The  church  of  the  old  testament  nor  the  new  never  taught 
the  old  nor  the  people  with  images.    Therefore  it  shall  be  the  office  of 
ment  did"   every  man  that  loveth  God  and  his  word,  to  follow  the  scripture 

ever  tejicti 

the  people  only,  and  to  bewail  the  ignorancy  of  such  as  hath  before  our 
by  images.  ^^^^^  time,  by  words  or  writing  defended  the 

same;  and  with  all  humility  and  humbleness  submit  himself 
The  word  of  to  the  judgment  and  censure  of  the  judge  of  all  judges,  the 
judge  of  the  word  of  God,  that  he  may  wisely  and  godly  discern  what  is 
writings,    to  be  believed  and  accepted  of  any  doctor's  writings,  and 
what  is  not  to  be  accepted  ;  what  is  to  be  pardoned,  and  what 
is  not  to  be  pardoned ;  and  by  the  perils  and  dangers  of  other 
learn  to  be  wise,  that  we  commit  not  the  same  fault. 
A  fair  gloss       A  fine  gloss  and  fair^  interpretation  cannot  make  good 
good  to  an  an  ill  thing.    If  I  should  say,  an  image  provoketh  devotion  ; — 
uug.   j^^j^  teacheth  that  the  blood  of  Christ  was  sprinkled 

for  my  sins;— the  holy  bread  teacheth  that  Christ's  body 

'  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot :  [I  would 
thou  wert  cold  or  hot.]  Therefore  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and 
neither  cold  nor  hot,  it  will  come  to  pass  that  I  shall  spew  thee  out  of 
my  mouth.  R. 

2  Fere,  1547:  farre,  R. 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


31 


was  torn  for  my  sins ;  what  shall  these  glosses  excuse  the 

fact  ?    Nay,  nay,  Christ,  that  died  for  our  sakes,  would  not  Christ  win 

111-  1  r-i  •  have  his 

his  death  to  be  preached  this  way,  but  out  of  the  scripture  death 

«  1  p    T      ^  p  1  •  1  preached 

by  the  tongue  ot  man,  and  not  out  oi  the  decrees  oi  bishops  out  of  the 

p  •       t  TTi  11  •      scripture  by 

by  a  drop  of  water  or  painted  post.    He  that  took  the  pains  the  tongue 

.  .  .      P      I         1         •        (•1  11"*'  ™*">  ^"<i 

to  die  and  suffer  his  passion  for  the  redemption  of  the  world  not  out  of 

111       1  decrees 

solely  and  only,  solely  and  only  hath  taken  the  pains  to  teach  of  bishops, 
the  world  how  and  which  way  they  should  keep  this  passion 
in  mind,  and  left  it  unto  the  world  in  writing  by  the  hands 
of  his  holy  apostles :  unto  the  which  writing  only  he  hath 
bound  and  obligated  his  church,  and  not  to  the  writings  of 
men. 

In  this  passage  I  admonish  the  christian  reader,  that  I  Though  the 

,  church  be 

speak  not  of  the  laws  of  magistrates  or  princes,  that  daily  *j,*j^p'"aw* 
ordain  new  laws  for  the  preservation  of  their  commonwealth,  "gj^j'jjj^^*' 
as  they  see  the  necessity  of  their  realms  or  cities  require ; 

•'  •'  T        '  but  magis- 

biit  of  such  laws  as  men  hath  ordained  for  the  church  of  ^^^^^  ""^v 

make  new 

Christ,  which  should  be  now  and  for  ever  governed  by  the '"^^'^o'"  the 

'  ~  J  preserva- 

word  of  God.    In  this  cause,  look^,  as  Eve  offended,  obeying  ^^^^o^t'^eir 
the  persuasion  of  the  devil  contrary  unto  the  commandment  ^"n^^^J.*' 
of  God;  so  doth  every  man  offend,  obeying  any  laws  or ^^^[^^'^g'^^" 
decrees  that  commandeth  any  thing  contrary  unto  the  word  ^a'ins't'the^ 
of  God.    This  law  must  prevail,  Oportet  Deo  magis  obedire^^^^^^^ 
quam  hominihus^ .     The  example  hereof  we  have  in  Daniel,  be°obeyed 
of  the  three  children,  that  chose  rather  to  burn  in  the  fiery  others.^'' 
furnace,  than  to  worship  the  image  that  Nabucadneser  had 
made.    So  did  the  apostles.  Acts  v. 

Let  all  the  world  consider,  whether  these  laws  of  the 
bishops, — ^the  mass,  which  is  a  profanation  of  Christ's  supper ; 
to  bind  men's  consciences  to  pray  unto  dead  saints ;  to  say, 
images  be  to  be  suffered  in  the  temples ;  and  constrain  the 
ministers  of  the  church  to  live  sole,  contrary  unto  their  voca- 
tion,— are  to  be  obeyed  or  not.  They  do  no  less  offend  God 
in  obeying  these  laws,  than  Eve  did  in  obeying  the  voice 
of  the  serpent.  The  wisdom  of  all  the  wits  in  the  world 
cannot  comprehend  the  greatness  of  this  ill.    Make  what  Men's  con- 

•11  (>       1     1     1  11  •  sciences  are 

laws  they  will  for  the  body,  so  they  leave  the  conscience  free,     to  be 

.  .    .  brought  into 

With  patience  it  is  to  be  suffered ;  only  I  lament  the  bondage  bondage. 

Loke,  1547 :  looke,  R. 
*  We  must  obey  God,  rather  than  men.  R. 


32 


A    DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


of  the  conscience.  Cursed  be  these'  that  make  such  laws, 
Pigliius,  one  and  cursed  be  those  that  with  sophistry  defend  them,  ihat 
fllttererT''  parasitus  and  bondman  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  Pighius%  in 
aduitCTy his  writings  shameth  not  to  say,  It  is  less  sin  for  a  priest 
wedtock."'^  to  keep  another  man's  wife,  than  to  have  a  wife  of  his  own. 

Concerning  acts  indifferent,  which  of  themselves  are  neither 
good  neither  ill,  as  to  refrain  from  eating  of  flesh  the  Friday, 
observing  of  the  feasts  kept  holy  in  the  remembrance  of  such 
holy  martyrs  as  died  for  the  faith  of  Christ,  or  in  keeping 
In  what      holy  Easter  and  Whitsunday;  there  are^  two  respects  most 
may  without  diligently  to  be  observed;  the  one  good  and  to  be  suffered, 
indifferent  the  other  ill  and  to  be  eschewed.     Such  as  abstain  from 
man^s  ordi-  flesh,  and  think  they  do  better  service  to  God,  and  would 
in  what      hkewise  obtain  remission  of  their  sins  by  those  works,  do 
sin  in  them,  declare  both  themselves  and  their  works  to  be  ill.  But 
such  as  abstain  because  the  spirit  may  be  more  ardent, 
and  the  mind  more  given  to  study  and  prayer,  doth  well, 
and  as  they  be  bound  to  do ;  and  to  come  unto  the  temple 
to  pray  for  themselves  and  the  church  of  Christ,  and  to  hear 
the  word  of  God,  doth  weU.    For  as  God  commandeth  his 
word  to  be  preached  and  heard,  so  he  hath  appointed  a  certain 
time,  as  the  sabbath,  when  people  should  hear  it.    And  not 
only  this  order  to  be  observed  in  the  church,  but  also  in  every 
Parents      family  and  household.    Of  what  degree  soever  he  be,  he 
tei^theh  should  cause  his  family  and  childi-en  to  read  some  part  of  the 
knowledge  Bible  for  their  erudition,  to  know  God.    Likewise  he  should 

of  God. 

1  Those.  R. 

P  Such  is  the  tenor  of  Pighius's  argument,  as  will  appear  from  the 
following  sentences,  with  which  he  sums  it  up : 

His,  inquam,  an  saltern  minus  malum  minusque  damnabile  erit 
nubere  quam  uri?  Tu  vide,  quis  pejor  servus  est?  An  qui  gravatus 
sei'vitio,  et  fortassis  negligentius  aut  incautius  agens,  cadit  sub  onere,  an 
qui  jugum  in  totum  projicit?  Quis  pejor  discipulus?  An  qui  ex 
praescripto  ediscit,  non  quidem  universum  (quod  forte  potuisset,  nisi 
crapulae  et  somno  indulsisset  securius)  tamen  partem;  an  qui  scholam 
prorsus  deserit?  Tentationi  proinde  quibus  diximus  remediis  resis- 
tendum  est.  In  quibus  si  quando  remissiores  ex  infirmitate  carnis 
ceciderimus,  tolerabilius  hoc  peccatum  est,  quam  si  jugum  in  totum 
excutiamus,  imo  voto  adversum  votum  Deo  praestitum  nos  astringamus, 
tentationem  non  solum  non  sustineamus,  non  expectemus,  sed  prseoccu- 
pemus  etiam,  &c.  Pighii  Controvers.  prsecip.  Expositio.  Controv.  xv. 
De  caelib.  aut  conjug.  Sacerd.  Colonise,  1642.    Ff.  3,  2.] 

3  Is,  1547:  are,  R. 


CHRIST   AND    HIS  OFFICE, 


33 


constrain  them  to  pray  unto  God  for  the  promotion  of  his 
holy  word,  and  for  the  preservation  of  the  governors  of  the 
commonwealth,  so  that  no  day  should  pass  without  prayer 
and  augmentation  of  knowledge  in  the  religion  of  Christ. 

But  our  new  evangehsts  hath  another  opinion ;  they  dream  Repentance 

°  1  honesty 

of  faith  that  iustifieth,  the  which  neither  repentance  precedeth,  of  life  ac- 

^  ,  company  a 

neither  honesty  of  hfe  foUoweth ;  which  shall  be  to  their  double 
damnation,  if  they  amend  not.  He  that  will  conform  his 
knowledge  unto  the  word  of  God,  let  him  likewise  convert 
his  Hfe  withal,  as  the  word  requireth,  and  as  all  the  examples 
of  Christ  and  his  gospel  teacheth;  or  else  what  will  he  do 
with  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  which  only  teacheth,  and  suffi- 
ciently teacheth,  all  verity  and  virtuous  life  ?  Let  him  tarry 
still  in  the  doctrine  of  man,  and  live  as  manly  and  as  carnally 
as  he  Ust,  and  not  profess  to  know  God,  neither  his  truth, 
rather  than  so  to  slander  them  both.  This  sufficeth  to  prove 
the  only  word  of  God  to  be  sufficient  to  teach  the  truth ;  all 
other  men's  laws  to  be  neither  necessary  neither  profitable ; 
and  certain  we  be,  that  the  church  of  the  apostles  did  want 
these  decrees  that  papistry  of  late  days  faithed*  the  church 
withal. 


CAPUT  V 

[THE  FIFTH  CHAPTER.] 

The  second  office  of  Christ  is  to  pray  and  to  make  inter- The  second 

part  of 

cession  for  his  people.     This  office  John  writeth  of  in  his  Christ's 

J,  .     ,  -rn  •  1  1  •  1        1       office,  to 

first  epistle  :  "  It  any  man  sm,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  make  inter- 

cession  for 

Father,  J esus  Christ,"  that  maketh  intercession  for  us.  And  his  people, 
as  Paul  saith,  Ghristus  qui  mortuus  est,  imo  qui  ef  suscitatus, 
qui  etiam  est  ad  dextram  Dei,  qui  et  intercedit  pro  nohis^  In 
his  name,  and  in  the  belief  and  confidence  of  his  merits,  we 
may  obtain  the  mercies  of  God  and  life  everlasting,  as  Paul 
saith :  Accedamus  cum  fiducia  ad  tJironum  gratice,  wt  conse- 
quamur  misericordiam  et  gratiam  inveniamus  ad  opportumm 

*  Faythyd,  1547.    Faced.  R. 

*  Christ,  which  died,  yea,  which  rose  again,  which  sitteth  also  on 
the  right  hand  of  God ;  and  which  maketh  intercession  for  us.  R. 

[HOOPER. J 


34  A    DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


The  inter-  auxUium'  Heb.  iv.  This  intercession  of  Christ  only  sufficeth. 
cS"is°  man  should  seek  any  other  mediator  of  intercession'  or 

sufficient.    ^^^.^^.^^      g.^^  ^  p^yj  g^j^j^^  declaring  the  sufficiency  and 

abihty  of  Christ^s  death  and  intercession :  Christus  manet  in 
wtemum,  perpetuum  habens  sacerdotium.  Unde  et  salvos  fa- 
cere  ad  plenum  potest  qui  per  ipsum  adeunt  Deum ;  semper- 
vivus  ad  hoc,  wt  interpellet  pro  illis^. 
Christ  his  Unto  this  intercession  and  prayer  in  Christ's  name  he 
mm™hath  bound  his  church  by  express  commandment:  Petite  et  acci- 

bound  his  ,        ,        .  n     *     i  •  j.i   

church  to    metis\    "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you.     And  m  the  same 

his  inter-     J:  '  ■,  p•,^^^^•^r^• 

cession.  p]ace  he  sheweth  the  cause  wherefore  it  shall  be  given':  (^mc- 
quid  petieritis  Fatrem  in  nomine  meo,  dabit  vobis\  "  What- 
soever ye  ask  in  the  belief  and  confidence  of  my  merits,  it 
Christ  sit-  shall  be  given  unto  you."  Saint  Paul  calleth  Christ,  sitting 
right\and  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  the  minister  and  servant  of  the 
ministreth  saints :  to  sav^  of  such  as  be  here  living  in  this  troubled 

to  the  S3,iiits>  ~  t/  '  ^  ^ 

and  persecuted  church,  to  solicitate  and  do  all  their  affairs, 

as  a  faithful  ambassador  with  the  Father  of  heaven,  until 

the  consummation  of  the  world. 
The  doc-         This  doctrine  of  Christ's  intercession  must  be  always 
chrfst4     dihgently  preached  unto  the  people ;  and  likewise,  that  in 
is  to  be      all  necessities,  calamities,  and  trouble,  the  afflicted  person 
SiUgentiy.   to  Seek  none  other  means  to  offer  his  prayers  unto  God,  but 

Christ  only,  according  as  the  scripture  teacheth,  and  as 
Christ  is  the  we  have  example  of  holy  saints  in  the  same.  Not  only  in 
the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  where  as  he  commandeth  us  to  pray  in 

New  Testa-  ■        ■  j. 

ment.  his  name ;  and  Stephen  in  his  martyrdom,  Acts  vii,,  com- 
mended his  spirit  unto  this  only  mediator,  saying,  Domine 
Jesu,  accipe  spiritum  meum^;  but  also  in  the  Old  Testament 
thus  prayed  the  patriarchs  and  prophets:  Jacob,  Gen.  xlviii., 

^  Let  us  come  with  boldness  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may 
obtain  mercy,  and  find  favour  to  help  in  time  of  need.  R. 

^  Need  seek  any  other  mediator  for  the  intercession.  R. 
Christ  abideth  for  ever,  having  a  perpetual  priesthood :  whereby 
he  is  able  perfectly  to  save  those  which  come  to  God  through  him ;  he 
liveth  always  to  make  intercession  for  them.  R. 

"  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive.  R. 

^  Given  you.  R. 

"  Whatsoever  you  shall  ask  my  Father  in  my  name,  he  will  give  it 
you.   R.  ''  That  is  to  say.  R. 

Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  R. 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


35 


Benedicat  pueris  istis  Deus  et  angelus  qui  ervpuit  me  de  cunctis 
maUs^;  and  David,  Psa.  Ixxi.,  Et  adorahmt  ipsum  semper^". 
Forasmuch  as  Christ  is  daily  in  heaven,  and  prayeth  for  his 
church,  the  church  of  Christ  must  pray,  as  Christ  hath  taught 
it;  as  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  the  apostles  hath  given Jh^e^patri- 
us  example,  which  never  prayed  unto  dead  saints ;  yea,  as  Ppp^jj^g"'' 
Christ  hath  given  us  example,  hanging  on  the  cross,  saying,  jJ^J^^^j  ^'^ 
Pater,  in  manus  tuas  commendo  spiritum  meum^^  dead  saints. 

What  intolerable  ill,  blasphemy  of  God,  and  ethnical  invocation 
idolatry  is  this,  to  admit  and  teach  the  invocation  of  saints  a  derogation 
departed  out  of  this  world !    It  taketh  from  God  his  true  honour, 
honour:  it  maketh  him  a  fool,  that  only  hath  ordained  only 
Christ'^  to  be  Mediator  between  man  and  him.  It  diminisheth  the 
merits  of  Christ ;  taketh  from  the  law  of  God  her  perfection  Note  here 
and  majesty  ;  whereas  God  hath  opened  his  will  and  pleasure  follow  the 
unto  the  world  in  all  things.    It  condemneth  the  old  church  invocation 

—  of  sQiintSt 

of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets,  likewise  the  church  of  the 
apostles  and  martyrs,  that  never  taught  the  invocation  of 
saints.  It  accuseth  the  scripture  of  God  to  be  false,  which 
saith.  Thou  shalt  neither  add,  neither  diminish  any  thing : 
it  maketh  Christ  a  liar,  that  said,  Spiritum  quern  ego  mittam 
a  Patre,  docehit  vos  omnem  veritatem^^ .  If  the  men  that  teach, 
Sancta  Maria,  ora  pro  nobis^*,  be  more  holy  than  all  the  pa- 
triarchsprophets  and  apostles,  let  the  conscience  of  the 
christian  reader  judge. 

This  distinction  of  mediators,  to  be  one  of  expiation  for  TUe  vain 

i-xi   •  1  1  o   •  •  1  •         1  distinction 

Sin — Christ,  and  another  of  intercession — the  saints  de- of  media- 
tors. 

parted,  is  naught :  it  repugneth  the  manifest  text  of  the 
scripture.  It  is  the  office  only  of  Chi-ist  to  be  the  mediator 
for  sin,  and  likewise  to  offer  the  prayers  of  the  church  to  his 
Father.    John  i.  Ecce  Agnus  Dei,  qui  tollit  peccata  mundi^' 

^  God  bless  these  children,  and  the  angel  which  hath  delivered  me 
from  all  evil.  R. 

And  they  shall  worship  him  for  ever.  R. 
"  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit.  R. 

That  hath  ordained  Christ  only.  R. 

The  Spirit  which  I  will  send  from  the  Father  shall  teach  you  all 
truth.  R, 

"  Saint  Mary,  pray  for  us.    R.       ["  (of)  occurs  in  Ed.  1647.] 
Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world.  R. 

3—2 


36 


A    DECLARATION  OF 


As  concerning  intercession,  he  commandeth  us  only  to  ask 
in  his  name,  and  prescribed  the  manner  how  to  ask,  and  what 
to  ask.    Luke  xi. 

Objection.  Such  as  say.  If  the  saints  that  we  pray  unto  hear  us 
not,  nor  profit  a  deal,  yet^  it  hindereth  not;  we  lost  but  our 

Answer.  labour :  this"*  much  it  hindereth;  it  declareth  him  that  prayeth 
to  be  an  infidel,  to  pray  unto^  that  god  or  goddess,  that  is 
not  able  to  help  him,  nor  hear  his  prayer,  and  no  better  than 
he  that  prayed  unto  the  image  of  Jupiter  in  Greta,  that 

God  pro-    had  neither  ears  nor  eyes.     It  declareth  him  to  contemn 

miseth  not  *' 

only  to  hear  both  God  and  his  word,  who  assureth  every  man,  in  every 

our  prayers,  ,  i  •       i  , 

but  also  to  time,  and  in  every  distress,  not  only  to  hear  him,  but  also 

grant  our  '  j  ^  j 

requests,  to  givc  aid.  Matt.  xi.  So  now,  this  worshipper  of  saints 
The  wor-  departcth  from  the  known  and  almighty  God  to  an  unknown 
sainfs  pfe°*^  god,  and  preferreth  the  doctrine  of  man  and  the  devil  before 
doctrine'of  scripture  of  truth  and  the  living  God.  1  hope  this  ^q- 
go^a^J^J'^g  testable  error  is  come  to  light,  and  all  men  taught  to  pray 
word."^**'^  as  the  scripture  canonical  teacheth. 

But  there  is  another  ill  as  great  as  this,  to  be  repre- 
hended of  all  such  as  know  how  to  pray  aright — the  being 
Against  the  of  images  in  the  temple,  which  the  world  saith  may  be  suffered 

having  of  .,11, 

images  m    m  the  churches,  and  say  they  be  good  to  put  the  people 
of  God  in  remembrance  of  such  godly  saints  as  died  for 
JSnot^prt-"  ^h"^*'^  ^"^t  t'^is  is  always  the  subtilty  of  the  devil, 

th^nT"*^ '  ^'^^'^  ^  manifest  ill  cannot  be  borne  withal,  to  seek  a  gloss 
subHe*'^'""  ^"'^  interpretation,  that  whereas  he  cannot  walk  in  the  church 
shifts.       openly  like  a  devil,  and  have  candles  sticked  before  a  post,  and 
the  images  kissed,  yet  to  desire  some  man  to  put  a  fair  coat 
upon  his  back,  that  he  may  have  a  place  in  the  church  to 
lurk  in,  until  such  time  as  occasion  be  ministered  to  shew 
himself  again  as  he  is.    The  authority  of  God's  word  re- 
Asinvoca-  quireth  me  to  pronounce  this  true  judgment  in  the  cause  of 

tion  of         .  J.U  i.  u  t  •  >>  o 

be  banished  ^^S^®'       *  Worshipped  in  the  church,  that  their 

hiarf  I/'  presence  in  the  church  is  against  God's  word,  as  well  as  to 
men.^so^^^  say,  Sancta  Maria,  ora  pro  mbis\  And  as  the  one  is  to  be 
oJleh-eyes  cschewcd  and.  banished  out  of  the  heart,  so  is  the  other  out 
church.      of  the  eye  in  the  temple,  where  as  God's  word  is  preached  unto 

1  Ner  profet  adee,  lyet.  1547.    Profit  us  not.    R.      =  Thus.  R. 
'  That  man  that  so  prayeth  unto,  &c.  R. 
*  Saint  Mary,  pray  for  us.  R. 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


37 


the  people,  and  the  sacraments  ministered.  Thus  I  prove  by 
the  authority  of  both  Testaments,  the  Old  and  the  New.  The 
Old  saith,  "  Thou  shalt  make  no  image."  Exod-  xx.  Deut.  vi. 
In  the  New  there  is  no  mention  made  of  any  image,  but  that 
Christ  concerning  the  law  and  precepts  of  the  commandments 
said :  Non  'ceni  solvere  legem,  sed  adimplere^.  Matt.  v.  For- 
asmuch as  Christ  left  the  commandments  of  the  old  law  unto 
the  church,  in  the  which  he  saith.  Thou  shalt  not  make  any 
image ;  from  whence  hath  these  men  authority,  that  say,  if 
images  be  not  honoured,  they  may  be  suffered  in  the  church  ? 
It  is  but  .their  opinion,  contrary  and  beside  the  law  of  God. 
And  this  commandment,  Non  fades,  mn  coles'^,  forbiddeth  as 
well  the  making  of  the  image,  as  the  honouring  of  it.  Con- 
cerning the  having  of  them  in  the  place  of  public  prayer  and 
use  of  his  sacraments,  such  as  would  this  occasion  of  idolatry 
to  remain  in  the  church,  by  division  of  the  commandments 
would  pass  over  this'  second  commandment,  which  saith,  Non 
fades  tihi  smlptile,  non  adorabis  ea",  and  make  of  the  tenth 
commandment  two  commandments.  But  the  text  will  not 
suffer  it.  For  as  the  Lord  there  forbiddeth  the  inward  lust 
and  concupiscence  of  his  neighbour's  house,  so  doth  he  forbid 
the  lust  and  concupiscence  of  his  neighbour's  wife,  servant, 
or  daughter,  and  all  is  but  one  commandment,  Exod.  xx. : 
read  the  text  in  the  Hebrew,  and  then  it  shall  be  more  plain. 
The  second  commandment  which  the  defenders  of  images 
neglect,  forbiddeth  not  only  the  outward  reverence  and  honour, 
but  also  by  the  same  express  commandment  forbiddeth  to 
make  any  image.  They  do  injuries  to  the  manifest  text, 
and  their  gloss  is  to  be  abhorred,  and  the  plain  text  to  be 
followed. 

The  king's  majesty,  that  dead  is,  willed  not  only  all  his  a  simW- 
true  subjects  to  have  no  familiarity  with  Cardinal  Poule',  but 

I  came  not  to  break  the  law^  but  to  fulfil  it.  R. 
"  Thou  shalt  not  make — thou  shalt  not  worship.  R. 
'  The.  R. 

"  Thou  shalt  not  make  to  thyself  any  graven  image^  nor  worship 
them.  R. 

\^  Thus  the  breach  between  him  (Henry  VIII.)  and  the  pope  was 
past  reconciling,  and  at  Rome  it  was  declared  equally  meritorious  to 
fight  against  him  as  against  the  Turk.  But  Cardinal  Pole  made  it  more 
meritorious  in  his  book.    Yet  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican  had  now  lost 


38  A   DECLAKATION    OP  [^^■ 

also  to  refrain  his  company,  and  not  to  have  to  do  with  him 
in  any  case,  and  not  without  good  and  necessary  consideration. 
He  that  would,  notwithstanding  this  command  ^  of  the  king's 
majesty,  have  haunted  Poule's  company,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  accusation  have  said  he  was  not  with  Poule  for  friend- 
ship nor  familiarity  to  do  him  any  honour,  but  haunted  his 
company  with  such  other  persons  as  meant  no  ill  to  the  king's 
majesty  or  his  realm,  doubtless  this  law  should  of  right  and 
equity  condemn  him:  neither  for  friendship,  neither  other 
cause  no  man^  should  use  his  company.  Doubtless,  as  the 
king's  majesty  and  every  other  prince  knoweth'it  to  be 
dangerous  daily  to  suffer  his  subjects  in  the  company  of  his 
traitorous  enemies ;  so  God  knew  right  well  what  danger  it 
was  to  suffer  man,  his  creature,  to  have  company^  with  those 
God  hath  idols,  and  therefore  said,  Thou  shalt  neither  worship  them 
souls  by     nor  make  them.    All  the  princes  of  the  earth  hath  not  had 

images  than  ,       ,         -         .         ^       a  • 

princes  have  SO  many  subiccts  betrayed  and  made  traitors  by  their  enemies, 

lost  subjects  •/»!./  ^        ./  ' 

by  the      as  God  hath  lost  souls  by  the  means  of  images :  I  make  all 

company  of  ii,        ii  ii 

traitors.     the  world  judge  that  knoweth  the  truth. 

It  is  so  childish  an  opinion  to  say  that  images  may  be 
suffered  in  the  church,  so  they  be  not  honoured,  that  it 
needeth  no  probation  at  all.  The  gentiles,  that  Paul  speaketh 
of,  Rom.  i.,  knew  right  well  that  the  idol  was  not  God.  And 
all  the  idolaters  that  used  images,  that  the  New  Testament 
speaketh  of\  1  Cor.  v.  and  x.  1  Pet.  iv.  1  John  v.,  knew  right 
well  that  these  images  of  gold  or  silver  was  not  the  devil 
that  they  worshipped.  The  apostles  condemned  not  only 
their  false  religion,  but  also  their  images.  John  by  express 
words  calleth  the  image  idolatry,  and  biddeth  them  beware 
of  images,  saying,  Cavete  a  simulacris'  David,  Psal.  cxiv., 
saith,  Idola  gentium  argentum  et  aurum^     He  condemneth 

their  force,  so  that  these  had  no  other  effect  but  to  enrage  the  king  more 
against  all  such  as  were  suspected  to  favour  their  interests,  or  to  hold 
any  correspondence  with  Cardinal  Pole.— Burnet's  Hist.  Reform.  Part  i. 
Book  III.    See  also  Turner  s  History  of  Henry  VIII.  Vol.  ii.  ch.  xxviii.J 

1  Commandment.   R.  2  Qught  any  man.  R. 

^  Any  company.  R. 

*  Of  whom  the  New  Testament  speaketh.  R. 
®  Take  heed  of  images.  R. 

'  The  idols  of  the  gentiles  are  silver  and  gold.    R.  [Pg.  cxv  ] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFflCE. 


39 


not  only  their  false  religion,  but  also  the  images  made  by  the 
hand  of  man,  which  were  of  gold  and  silver.  Their  false  god 
was  neither  gold  neither  silver,  but  a  wicked  spirit,  who  had 
entered^  for  lack  of  faith  into  their  spirits. 

It  is  to  be  lamented,  that  God  for  our  sins  thus  suffereth 
the  world  to  be  illuded  by  the  devil.    Of  late  years  the  images 
were  in  the  temple,  and  honoured  with  Pater  noster,  heart 
and  mind,  with  leg  and  knee.    This  use  of  images  is  taken  As  one 
away  in  many  places,  but  now  they  be  applied  to  another  removed, 
use,  scilicet,  to  teach  the  people,  and  to  be  the"  laymen's  books ;  suborneth 
as  Damascene"  and  many  other  saith.   Oh  !  blasphemous  and 
devilish  doctrine,  to  appoint  the  most  noble  creature  of  God, 
man  endued  with  wit  and  reason,  resembling  the  image  of 
the  everlasting  God,  to  be  instructed  and  taught  of  a  mute,  JJ^^"^*  Pj"' 
dumb,  blind,  and  dead  idol !    The  brute  beast  that  goeth  by  to^a  dead 
the  way,  and  the  ass  that  serveth  for  the  mill,  is  not  taught 
by  the  rod  of  the  carter,  but  by  the  prudence  of  him  that 
useth  the  rod ;  and  should  those  painted  blocks  be  the  books 
of  reasonable  man?    Full  well  can  the  devil  transform  him- 
self into  an  angel  of  light,  and  to  deceive  the  people  under 
the  pretence  of  true"  religion.  I  had  rather  trust  to  the  shadow 
of  the  church  that  the  scripture  teacheth,  than  to  all  the 
men's  writings  sith  the  death  of  Polycarpus.   Christ  saith  not, 
Go  preach  unto  the  people  by  images ;  but  said,  Ite  in  uni- 
versum  mundum,  et  prcedicate  evangelium^^  Matt,  xxviii.  They 
say,  that  images  adorn  and  seemly  deck  the  temple  of  God,  ^^oodTot 
whither'^  as  people  resort  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  the  more  i,„t\jjs''"' 
images,  the  more  dishonoured  is  the  temple.    First,  let  them 
teach  by  the  manifest  word  of  God,  that  the  temple  should  be 
decked  with  such  idols  that  cannot  teach  nor  speak.  Some 
man's  tongue  must  declare  the  history  of  the  idol,  or  else  they 
know  not  what  the  idol  is ;  peradventure,  take  Saint  Barbara 

'  Who  entered.    R.  "  The,  omitted  in  R. 

|r*  Kai  oVep  TO??  jpa/jifiacri  ne/xvrifievoK  tj  (3'ifiXo<;,  tovto  toi<; 
dypafifxa-rot^  r}  eiKmv,  Kai  oirep  tjj  uko^  6  Ao'70?,  tovto  Trj  opdcrei 
ij  etKwv.   Damasc.  Op.  Basil.  1575.  De  Imagin.  Orat.  i.  p.  708.] 

"  New.  R. 

"  Go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel.  R. 
I''  Whither  the.  R. 


40  A    DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


for  Saint  Katherine,  and  Saint  Ooncumbre  for  the  rood  of 
Paul's;  Balaam  and  his  ass,  that  for  lucre  attempted  to  curse 
the  church  of  God,  for  Christ  and  his  ass  that  came  to  bless 
and  sanctify  his  church  with  his  precious  blood.    It  is  the 
abuse  and  profanation  of  the  temple  to  suffer  them,  and  a 
great  occasion  for  people  to  return  to  their  accustomed  ill.  I 
would  all  men  should  indifferently  ponder  these  reasons,  and 
judge  whether  they  be  to  be  suffered  or  not. 
A  recapitu-       First,  the  most  perfect  churches'  of  the  prophets,  Christ, 
J-easZs  why  and  his  apostles,  used  no  such  mean  to  instruct  the  people, 
nofto  bf'  We  ought  to  foUow  them  and  the  word  of  God  wroten  by 
temples.'"  the  prophcts  and  apostles.    Also  the  Greek  church  never 
consented  willingly  to  admit  the  use  of  images  in  the  temples. 
The  ill  that  hath  happened  unto  the  people  by  the  means  of 
images  is  too  plain  and  well  known ;  God  by  idolatry  robbed 
of  his  glory,  and  the  idolater  disherited  of  God's  mercy, 
Animate    except  he  repented'  in  this  life.    An  image  once  brought 
ti™  church*"  into  the  church  liveth  a  long  time.    Grant,  that  at  the  be- 
tirae.  ^      ginning  there  was  a  good  preacher^  of  the  church:  the  preacher 
dieth,  the  idol  the  longer  it  liveth  the  younger  it  waxeth,  as 
ye  may  see  by  the  idol  of  Walsingham,  Canterbury,  and 
Hayles*.    They  flourished  most  a  little  before  their  desolation 

1  Church.   R.  ^  Repent.  R. 

P  agodd  preachet,  in  the  original.] 

[*  The  image  of  "Our  Lady"  at  Walsingham  in  Norfolk  was  so 
celebrated,  that  persons  from  foreign  countries  resorted  thither  upon 
pUgrimage.  Erasmus  has  graphically  described  the  gross  idolatries  and 
licentiousness  connected  with  these  pilgrimages.  See  his  Colloq.  Peregrin, 
religionis  ergo.  Dugdale's  Monasticon,  Vol.  vi.  p.  71,  contains  a  long 
list  of  sovereigns  who  were  pilgrims  to  this  shrine.  The  last  of  these, 
Henry  VIII.,  walked  to  it  bare-footed  from  Barsham.  In  his  reign  the 
image  was  taken  to  Chelsea  and  burned.  In  "  A  Short  Instruction," 
&c.  set  forth  by  Archbp.  Cranmer,  1548,  (Oxford,  1829,  p.  23,)  the 
foUowiag  passage  occurs:  "The  whiche  abuses,  good  children,  your 
owne  fathers,  yf  you  aske  theym,  can  well  declare  vnto  you.  For  they 
themselfes  wer  greatly  reduced  by  certayne  famouse  and  notoriouse 
ymages,  as  by  our  lady  of  Walsingham,  oure  ladye  of  Ippeswiche,  saynt 
Thomas  of  Canterbury,  sainct  Anne  of  Buckestone,  the  roode  of  grace 
and  suche  lyke,  whom  many  of  your  parentes  visitide  yerely,  leaving 
their  owne  houses  and  familyes.  To  them  they  made  vowes  and  pil- 
grimages, thinkyng  that  God  would  heare  their  prayers  in  that  place 

rather  than  in  another  place.  They  kissed  their  feete  devouteley,  &c."  

The  cathedral  of  Canterbury  was  "full  of  idols,"  but  the  shrine  of 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


41 


in  the  reign  of  the  king's  majesty  that  dead  is,  Henry  the 
VIII.  of  a  blessed  memory.  At  their  setting  up  I  suppose  the 
preachers  were  more  diligent  and  zealous  of  God's  glory  than 
afterward.  But  was  not  the  original  damnable,  against  the 
word  of  God,  to  give  the  people  such  a  book  to  learn  by, 
that  should  school  them  to  the  devil? 

The  words  of  Gregory  ad  Serenum  episcopwm  Massili-  ^"1°  g^j^Jj^ 
ensium,  parte  X.  Epistol  iv.^  should  move  no  man,  though  he  t™e*|ooks  of 
say,  Quod  legentihus  scriptura,  hoc  idiotis  pictwra  prcestat  cer-  {g^rned 
nentihus^;  and  doth  reprehend  Serenus  for  the  breaking  of 
images,  saying,  that  the  like  was  not  seen  done'^  by  any  other 
ministers    This  is  but  Saint  Gregory's  opinion,  Epiphanius 
writing^  in  a  certain  epistle  ad  Johannem  Hierosolimitanum 
episcopum,interprete  D.Hieron^mo^",  hath  this  sentence :  Audivi 
quosdam  murmurare  contra  me,  qui  quando  simul  pergebamus 
ad  sanctum  locum,  qui  vocatur  Bethel  [*  *  *  *]  et  venissem 
ad  villam  quae  vocatur  [dicitur^  Anablatha,  vidissemque  prcete- 
riens  ardentem  lucernam,  et  interrogassem  quis  locus  esset, 
didicissemque  esse  ecclesiam,  et  intrassem  nt  orarem,  inveni  ihi 
velum  pendens  in  forihus  ejusdem  ecclesice  tinctum  atque  de- 

Thomas  a  Becket  stood  pre-eminent,  eclipsing  there  even  the  popular 
worship  of  the  Virgin.  See  Erasmus  above  quoted,  Burnet,  and  others. — 
At  Hales  Abbey,  in  Gloucestershire,  the  blood  of  our  Saviour  was  pre- 
tended to  be  shewn.  Collier  has  described  the  manner  in  which  this 
fraud  was  practised.  Latimer  also  in  his  seventh  sermon  before  king 
Edward  VI.  has  exposed  the  "  great  abomination  of  the  blood  of  Hales ;" 
of  which  he  says,  "What  ado  was  it  to  bring  this  out  of  the  king's 
(Henry  VIII.)  head."  In  his  letter  to  M.  Morice  (see  Foxe)  he  speaks 
•of  the  people  "coming  by  flocks  out  of  the  west  country"  to  the  blood 
of  Hales.] 

^  To  Serenus,  bishop  of  Massile,  in  the  X.  part,  Epist.  iv.  R. 
That  an  image  performeth  that  unto  the  simple  beholder  which 
the  scripture  doth  to  the  reader.    R.  '  Was  not  done.  R. 

Perlatum  siquide^i  ad  nos  fuerat,  quod  inconsiderato  zelo  suc- 
census  sanctorum  imagines  sub  hac  quasi  excusatione,  ne  adorari  de- 
buissent,  confregeris.  Et  quidem  quia  eas  adorari  vetuisses,  omnino 
laudavimus ;  fregisse  vero  reprehendimus.  Die,  frater,  a  quo  factum 
sacerdote  aliquando  auditum  est,  quod  fecisti?  Nam  quod  legentibus 
scriptura,  hoc  idiotis  prsestat  pictura  cementibus.  S.  Greg.  Op.  Par. 
1672.  Tom.  ii.  col.  938.  Lib.  ix.  Indie,  iv.  Epist.  ix.] 
9  Writeth,  1547.    Writing.  R. 

Unto  John,  the  bishop  of  Hierusalem,  according  to  the  interpre- 
tation of  Saint  Hierome.  R. 


42  A   DECLARATION   OP  [cH. 


pictum,  habens  imaginem  quasi  Christi  vel  Sancti  cujus- 
dam:  non  enim  satis  memini  cujus  imago  fuerit.  Cum 
autera  \ergo\  hoc  vidissem  in  ecclesia  Christi  contra  auctori- 
iatem  scripturarum  hominis  pendere  imaginem,  scidi  illud^,  S^c. 
whereas  he  willeth  the  occasion  of  ill  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
church,  as  Paul  commandeth,  1  Thess.  v.  This  doctor,  as  all 
men  knoweth,  was  of  singular  learning  and  virtue. 
Athanasius  Again,  against  the  authority  of  Gregory  the  Great  I  set 
(lenieth      the  authority  of  Athanasius  the  Great,  who  denieth  by  express 

imaajes  to  be  ,  *^  •/  i. 

tjje  Eooks  of  words  the  images  to  be  the  books  of  the  lay  people^ :  Adversus 
people.  gentes  sic  scribit.  PMlosophi  gentium  et  qui  apud  eos  eruditi 
dicuntur,  cum  urgeri  a  nobis  coeperint,  non  negant  hominum  et 
mutorum  animalium  formas  atque  effigies  esse  qui  apud  eos 
mdentur  Dii:  verum  hanc  afferunt  rationem,  idcirco  se  illas 
imagines  fingere,  ut  per  eas  sibi  Deus  respondeat  et  reveletur ; 
non  posse  enim  invisibiliter  aliter  nosse,  quam  per  hujusmodi 
signa  atque  taletas.  Alii  Ms  sapientiora  se  dicere  arbitrantes 
eas  esse  veluti  literas  hominibus,  quce  relegentes  possint,  per 
earn  quce  ex  illis  insinuatur  coslestium  spirituum  revelationem, 
et  Dei  intelligentiam  consequi.    Ita  quidem  illi  perquam  fa- 


^  I  have  heard  certain  murmur  against  me,  who  when  we  went 
together  unto  the  holy  place  which  is  called  Bethel,  and  I  came  to  a 
certain  village  which  is  called  Hnablatha,  and  saw  as  I  passed  by  a 
candle  burning,  and  had  demanded  what  place  it  was,  and  had  learned 
that  it  was  a  church,  and  had  entered  into  it  to  pray,  I  found  there  a 
vail  hanging  on  the  doors  of  the  same  church  dyed  and  painted,  having 
as  it  were  the  image  of  Christ  or  some  holy  man.  For  I  do  not  well 
remember  whose  image  it  was.  But  when  I  saw  in  the  church  of  Christ 
the  image  of  a  man,  contrary  to  the  authority  of  the  scriptures,  to  hang 
up,  I  tore  it,  &c.    R.    [Hieron.  Op.  Basil.  1565.  Tom.  ii.  p.  161.] 

^  He  writeth  thus  against  the  gentiles.  The  philosophers  of  the 
gentiles,  and  those  [who]  were  counted  learned  amongst  them,  when 
they  are  urged  of  us,  do  not  deny  but  those  are  the  forms  and  shapes 
of  men  and  dumb  creatures,  which  are  reckoned  for  gods  amongst  them : 
but  they  render  this  reason,  that  they  therefore  make  those  images,  that 
God  by  them  may  give  answer,  and  be  revealed  unto  them;  for  they 
think  the  invisible  God  cannot  otherwise  be  known  than  by  such  signs 
and  figures.  Others,  thinking  they  answer  more  wisely  than  these,  say 
they  are  instead  of  books  unto  men,  whereby  the  readers  may  through 
that  revelation  of  celestial  spirits  which  is  insinuated  by  them  attain  to 
the  knowledge  of  God.  Thus  they  speak  very  ridiculously,  neither  have 
they  any  more  reason.  R. 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


43 


iulose,  neque  enim  mtimabiliter  dicunf  With  great  gravity 
and  godly  reasons  this  great  clerk  confuteth  this  fond  opinion, 
— Images  to  be  the  books  of  the  laymen. 

The  great  and  excellent  clerk*  Lactantius  Firmianus  crieth  Lactantius 

.        .  11  -11  1  inveisheth 

so  out  against  images,  that  he  saith  there  can  be  no  true  against 
rehgion  where  they  be.     Tertullian  ,  De  Corona  Militis^,  Tertuiuan 

•    111  mi      1  r>        1  condemneth 

judgeth  the  same.    The  law  of  God  doth  not  only  condemn  images, 
the  use  of  them  in  the  church,  and  these  holy  doctors;  but  also 
the  name  of  an  image  declareth  it  to  be  abomination. 

Eead  all  the  scripture,  and  in  every  place  where  as  thou 
findest  this  word,  ezeb\  idol  or  image,  it  signifieth  either 
affliction,  rebellion,  sorrow,  tristes',  travail  or  pain,  or  else  the 
wicked  muck  and  mammon  of  the  world,  or  the  thing  that 
always  provoketh  the  ire  of  God,  as  Rabbi  David  Kimhy  well  Rabbi  d.  k. 

S  £11  til  thtlt 

expoundeth  Psalm  cxv.    This  Jew  saith,  that  the  idols  brinsf  idols  bring 

,  men  into 

men  into  hatred  of  God,  expounding  these  words  of  David,  hatred  with 
Quiim  similes  evadant  qui  ea  faciunt  ef  quicunqm  fidit  eis^; 
saith,  the  text  must  be  understood  by  the  manner  of  prayer'", 
as  though  David  prayed  Almighty  God  to  make  these  gravers 
and  carvers  of  images  as  dumb,  as  blind,  as  mute,  and  as 
insensible,  as  the  idol  that  can  nor  speak"  nor  hear.  Our  Lord 
amend  it ! 

What  should  move  men  to  defend  in  the  church  of 
Christ  so  necessary  an  ill  and  pestilent  treasure,  that  hath 

Athan.  Ora.  contra  Gentes.  Par.  Ben.  Ed.  1698.  Tom.  i.  cap.  xix. 
p.  19.] 

\J  Non  est  dubium  quin  religio  nulla  sit,  ubicumque  simulacrum 
est.  Lact.  Op.  Lutet.  Par.  1748.  Tom.  i.  p,  185.  Lib.  ii.  de  Orig.  Erroris. 
cap.  xix.] 

Longum  enim  divortium  mandat  ab  idolatria,  in  nuUo  proximo 
agendum.  Draco  enim  terrenus  de  longinquo  non  minus  absorbet  alites. 
Johannes,  FiUoli,  inquit,  custodite  vos  ab  idolis:  non  jam  ab  idolatria 
quasi  in  officio,  sed  ab  idolis,  id  est  ab  ipsa  effigie  eorum.  Indignum  enim 
est  ut  imago  Dei  vivi,  &c.  Tertul.  Op.  Paris.  1580.  de  Cor.  Mil.  p.  348. 
C] 

°  Of  the  crown  of  the  soldier.  R. 

Ulitj;    See  Gen.  iii.  17,  &c.]  Trouble.  R. 

*  To  whom  they  are  like  that  make  them,  and  whoso  trusteth  in 
them.  R. 

Q^"  Similes  illis  fiant.  Hoc  imprecative  dictum  est.  Kimchi  in 
Psalmos.  Paris.  1665.  p.  525.] 

"  As  is  the  idol  that  cannot  speak.  R. 


44 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


seduced  both  our  fathers  and  great-grandfathers';  where  the 
church  of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  never  used 
ci'rist^ou|ht  them,  but  in  all  their  writings  abhorred  [them]'?  Loved  we 
fjftority  ^0*5'  would  be  content  with  scripture.  Every  scholar  of 
ilnsa^Aris^  AHstotle  taketh  this  for  a  sufficient  verity,  Magister  dicif: 
wsscifourj!  be  contented  as  soon  as  he  heareth  his  master's  name, 

Cicero,  lib.  iii.  De  Oratore,  was  thus  persuaded  of  those  that 
were  excellent  orators* :  8ic  estimat  suavitatem  Isocratis,  sub- 
tilitafem  Li/sioe,  acumen  Hyperidis,  sonitwm  ^scMnis,  vim 
Demosthenis  ac  orationem  Catuli,  nt  quicquid  {inquit)  aut 
addideris  aut  mutaveris  aut  defraxeris,  mtiosius  aut  deterius 
futunm''  And  should  not  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  Christ, 
and  the  apostles,  as  well  suffice  the  church  of  God  \ 

What,  although  many  learned  men  hath  approved  images, 
should  their  wisdom"  maintain  any  contrary  unto  the  word  of 
God  ?  No  :  a  christian  man  must  not  care  who  speaketh, 
but  what  is  spoken ;  the  truth  [is]  ^  to  be  accepted,  whosoever 
speaketh  it.  Balaam  was  as  wise,  learned,  and  replenished 
with  God's  giff^,  as  [a]^  man  could  be;  notwithstanding,  his  ass 
telling  the  truth  must  be  believed  better  than  he.  The  law 
of  God  teacheth  no  use  of  images,  but  saith :  Non  fades,  non 
^a^vfng  and  Exod.  XX.    Believe  it.    Yet  the  art  of  graving  and 

forbiddfn""'  painting  is  the  gift  of  God.  To  have  the  picture  or  image 
of  any  martyr  or  other,  so  it  be  not  put  in  the  temple  of 
God,  nor  otherwise  abused,  it  may  be  suffered.  Christ  by 
the  picture  of  Caesar  taught  his  audience  obedience  unto  the 

1  Great  graunt  fathers,  1547.    Grandfathers.  R. 

2  Supplied  from  R.  3  ^j^g  ^^^^^  g^ith.  R. 

*  And  he  so  esteemed  the  sweetness  of  Isocrates,  the  subtlety  of 
Lysias,  the  dexterity  of  Hyperides,  the  sound  of  iEschines,  the  power 
of  Demosthenes,  and  oration  of  Catulus;  that  whatsoever  thou  shalt 
(quoth  he)  either  add,  or  change,  or  take  away,  it  will  become  the  more 
corrupted  and  the  worse.  R. 

p  Suavitatem  Isocrates,  subtilitatem  Lysias,  acumen  Hyperides, 
sonitum  ^schines,  vim  Demosthenes  habuit.-Quid  jucundius  auribus 
nostris  umquam  accidit  hujus  oratione  Catuli?  *  *  *  quidquid  aut 
addideris  aut  mutaveris,  aut  detraxeris,  vitiosius  et  deterius  futurum.— 
Cic.  de  Oratore,  Lib.  iii.  7,  8.] 

["  -approuid  imaginisshuld  there  wysdom,  in  the  original.] 

'  Yeste,  1547.   Giftes.  R. 

Thou  shalt  not  make,  thou  shalt  not  worship.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


45 


civil  prince,  saying,  Cujus  est  Jicec  imago  ?  Ccesaris,  inquiunt. 
Ergo  reddite  quce  sunt  Ccesaris  Ccesari^ 

But  if  man  will  learn  to  know  God  by  his  creatures,  let  Th?  gio^y, 

majesty,aiia 

him  not  say  "  Good  morrow,  master,"  to  an  old  moth-eaten  power  of 

'  '  God  appear- 

post,  but  behold  the  heavens  which  declareth  the  might  [andl et^ his 

'■  .  creatures. 

power  of  God.  Psalm  [xix.]  Consider  the  earth,  how  it 
bringeth  forth  the  fruits  thereof,  the  water  with  fishes,  the  air 
with  the  birds.  Consider  the  disposition,  order,  and  amity,  that 
is  between  the  members  of  man's  body,  the  one  always  ready 
to  help  the  other,  to  save  the  other ;  the  hand  the  head,  the 
head  the  foot,  the  stomach  to  disperse  the  meat  and  drink 
into  the  exterial  parts  of  the  body.  Yea,  let  man  consider 
the  hawk  and  the  hound,  that  obey  in  their  vocation,  and 
so  every  other  creature  of  the  earth ;  and  with  true  heart  and 
unfeigned  penitence  come  to  the  knowledge  of  himself,  and 
say,  All  the  creatures  that  ever  the  living  God  made,  obeyeth 
in  their  vocation,  saving  the  devil,  and  I,  most  wretched 
man. 

Those  things  were  made  to  be  testimonies  unto  us  of  Christ  hath 

.  ,        taught  by 

God's  mig-hty  power,  and  to  draw  men  unto  virtue ;  not  these  simiutudes 

o    J  r         ■>  '  _      taken  from 

idols,  which  the  devil  caused  to  be  set  in  the  temple  to  bring  crea- 

,  tures,  ana 

men  from  God.    Thus  did  Christ  teach  the  people  his  most 

.  .  linages. 

blessed  death  and  passion,  and  the  fruit  of  his  passion,  by  the 
grain  of  corn  cast  into  the  earth ;  and  said,  Nisi  granmn 
frwmenti  cadens  in  terra  mortuum  fuerit,  ipsum  solum  manet ; 
si  autem  mortuum  fuerit,  multum  fructum  affert^^  He  hanged 
not  the  picture  of  his  body  upon  the  cross,  to  teach  them  his 
death,  as  our  late'^  learned  men  hath  done. 

The  ploughman,  be  he  never  so  unlearned,  shall  better  The  plough- 

,  .  man  may  be 

be  instructed  of  Christ's  death  and  passion  by  the  corn  that  j,"*^hr?st's 
he  soweth  in  the  field,  and  likewise  of  Christ's  resurrection,  death  and 

'  '  resurrection 

than  by  all  the  dead  posts  that  hang  in  the  church,  or  [arel'"  I^^"'""''^, 

■'  o  '       L      J    the  corn  he 

pulled  out  of  the  sepulchre  with  Christus  resurgens^^     What  |y^/rotten" 
resemblance  hath  the  taking  of  the  cross  out  of  the  sepulchre, 
and  going  a  procession  with  it,  with  the  resurrection  of  Christ? 

*  Whose  image  is  this?   And  they  said,  Caesar's.    Then  give  unto 
Caesar  that  is  Caesar's.    R.  Supplied  from  R. 

Except  the  corn  fall  into  the  earth  and  die,  it  abideth  alone^  but 
if  it  die  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.   R.  (Late,)  omitted  in  R. 

Christ  rising  again.  R. 


46 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


None  at  all :  the  dead  post  is  as  dead,  when  they  sing,  J am 
mn  moritur\  as  it  was  when  they  buried  it  with.  In  pace 
/actus  est  locus  ej'us^.  If  any  preacher  would  manifest  the 
resurrection  of  Christ  unto  the  senses,  why  doth  not  he  teach 
them  by  the  grain  of  the  field  that  is  risen  out  of  the  earth, 
and  Cometh  of  the  dead  corn  that  he  sowed  in  the  winter! 
Why  doth  not  the  preacher  preach  the  death  and  resurrection 
of  Christ  by  such  figures  and  metaphors  as  the  scripture 
teacheth  i  Paul  wonderfully,  1  Cor.  xv.,  proveth*  with  argu- 
ments the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  ours^  likewise, 
that  nothing  may  be  more  plainly  taught. 

A  dead  post  canied  [in]  a  procession  as  much  resembleth 
the  resurrection  of  Christ,  as  very  death  resembleth  life. 
People  should  not  be  taught  nor  by  image  nor  by  reliques, 
as  Erasmus  Rotterodam^  in  his  third  book  of  Eeclesiastes 
well  declareth.  Lactantius  Firmianus"  useth  a  wonder[ful] 
divine,  eloquent,  and  plain  manner  in  the  declaring  of  this 
resurrection,  which  is  sung  yearly  in  the  church,  De  resur- 
rectionis  Dominicce  die'',  with  many  godly  and  divine  verses. 
The  same  Lactantius  saith",  that  there  can  be  no  true  re- 
agamlt'"^  ligion  where  these  images  be.    August,  ad  Marcellum  repre- 

images. 

^  Now  he  dieth  not.  R. 

^  His  place  is  made  in  peace.  R.  [Allusion  is  here  made  to  the 
absurd  ceremonies  which  were  practised  in  the  churches  at  Easter.] 
^  Paul  thus  doth  wonderfully  (1  Cor.  xv.)  prove.  R.  ^  Us,  R. 
Huic  affine  est,  quod  quidam  per  imagines  movent  afFectus,  aut 
per  ostensas  sanctorum  reliquias,  quorum  neutrum  convenit  gravitati 
loci,  in  quo  consistit  Eeclesiastes ;  neque  enim  legimus  unquam  tale 
quidquam  factum  vel  a  Christo  vel  ah  apostolis.  Alibi  plurimum 
utilitatis  habent  imagines,  vel  ad  memoriam  vel  ad  rerum  intelligentiam, 

&c  Verum  ea  dignitas  est  concionis,  ut  ejusmodi  adminicula 

gravatim  admittat.  Idem  sentiendum  arbitror  de  reliquiis  sanctorum. 
Utrobique  cavendum  est  a  superstitione,  quia  par  utrobique  periculum. 
Erasmi  Op.  Tom.  v.  col.  987.  D.  Lugd.  Batav.  1703—6. 

For  the  more  full  expression  of  Erasmus'  views  on  this  subject,  see 
also  col.  50]  of  same  Vol.  De  Amabili  Ecclesiae  Concordia.] 
Carmen  de  resurrectione  Domini: 

Salve,  festa  dies,  toto  venerabilis  svo. 
Qua  Deus  infernum  vicit  et  astra  petit,  &c.  &c. 

Lactantii  Opera  Basil.  1682.  fo.  113.1 
'  Upon  the  day  of  the  Lord's  resurrection.  R. 
See  before,  note  3,  p.  42.] 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


47 


hendeth  them  wonderfully  in  these  words  of  David,  Os  habent, 
et  mn  loquuntur^ ;  saith'"  men  may  be  soon  deceived  by 
images"  Likewise  in  the  first  book  ^^De  Consensu  Eva/ngelis- 
tarum^^ 

Such  as  defend  them  have  nothing  but  sophistical  argu- 
ments to  blind  the  people  with.  The  scripture  nor  apostles'' 
church  used  none :  as  for  Gregory  the  Great  and  Theodo- 
sius'*,  with  other  that  defend  them,  all  the  histories  declare, 
that  men  of  greater  learning  than  they  by  the  scripture 
condemned  them;  as  Leo  IIL,  the  emperor  Constantinus  V 
who  assembled  all  the  learned  men  of  Asia  and  Grecia,  and 
condemned  the  use  of  images,  that  Gregory  and  Martin 
the  First  had  stablished'''.  But  it  forceth  not,  had  all  Asia, 
Africa,  and  Europa,  and  Gabriel  the  archangel  descended 
from  heaven,  approved  the  use  of  images;  forasmuch  as  the 
apostles  neither  taught  nor  wrote  of  them,  their  authority 
should  have  no  place.  The  word  of  God  solely  and  only  is 
to  be  preferred,  Galat.  i.,  which  forbiddeth  images. 

®  They  have  a  mouth,  and  speak  not.   R.  Sich.  R. 

1^"  Quis  autem  adorat  vel  orat  intuens  simulacrum,  qui  non  sic 
afficitur  ut  ab  eo  se  exaudiri  putet,  ac  ab  eo,  &c.  Contra  hunc  affectum, 
quo  humana  et  carnalis  infirmitas  facile  capi  potest,  cantat  scriptura 
Dei,  &c.  Aug.  Op.  Basil.  1542.  Tom.  viii.  in  Ps.  cxiii.  (cxv.)  col.  1307.] 

^  Of  the  consent  of  the  Evangelists.  R. 

Nec  discipulos  ejus  a  sui  magistri  doctrina  deviasse,  cum  deos 
gentium  coli  prohibuerint,  ne  vel  insensatis  simulacris  supplicaremus, 
vel  societatem  cum  daemoniis  haberemus,  vel  creaturae  potius  quam 
Creatori  religionis  obsequio  serviremus.  Aug.  Op.  Basil.  1542.  Tom.  iv. 
De  Consensu  Evangelistarum,  Lib.  i.  cap.  xxxiv.  col.  394.] 

Theodosius.  Possibly  a  misprint  for  Theodoras  I.  who  zealously 
promoted  the  worship  of  images  and  relics,  and  was  the  immediate 
predecessor  of  Martin  I.  afterwards  mentioned.] 

See  Platina. — Car.  Mag.  de  Impio  Imag.  Cultu.  Lib.  iv. — Chemnit. 
Exam.  Concil.  Trident. — Tribbechovii  de  Doctor.  Scholast.  Cor.  &c. — 
BeUarmin.  de  Imag.  Sanct. — Mosheim, — &c.] 


48  A   DECLARATION   Ol'  [cH. 


CAPUT  VI, 


The  third 
part  of 
Christ's 
office. 


Christ  suf- 
fered for  the 
sin  of  man, 
as  though 
he  himself 
had  been  a 
sinner. 


Christ  hath 
made  satis- 
faction by 
his  death. 


Christ's 
sacrifice 
once  offered 
sufficeth. 


God  opened 
his  mercy  to 
Adam  not 
only  in 
word,  but 
also  by 
fire  that 
descended 
upon  his 
sacrifices. 


[THE  SIXTH  CHAPTER.] 

The  third  Office  of  Christ  is  concerning  his  priesthood,  to  offer 
sacrifice  unto  God,  and  hy  the  same  to  purge  the  world 
from  sin. 

Paul,  Philip,  ii.,  saith,  that  Christ  humbled  himself  unto 
the  death  of  the  cross.  Heb.  ii.  He  was  made  partaker  of 
man's  mortal  nature,  that  by  death  he  might  destroy  him 
that  had  the  imperie'  and  dominion  of  death,  to  say,  the 
devil.  John  calleth  him  the  Lamb  that  doth  take  away 
the  sin  of  the  world,  John  i.  All  the  sacrifices  of  the  old 
law  were  figures  and  types  of  this  only  sacrifice,  which  was 
appointed  by  God  to  die  and  to  suffer  the  ire^  and  displeasure 
of  God  for  the  sin  of  man,  as  though  he  himself  were  a 
sinner,  and  had  merited  this''  displeasure.  The  greatness  of 
this  ire,  sorrow,  confusion,  ignominy,  and  contempt,  neither 
angel  nor  man  can  express  :  his  pains  were  so  intolerable, 
and  his  passion  so  dolorous,  his  death*  so  obedient  with  the 
Father's  will,  that  it  was  not  only  a  sacrifice,  but  also  a  just 
recompense  to  satisfy  for  all  the  world  solely  and  only,  as 
Christ  taught  Nicodemus,  John  iii.,  as  Paul,  Heb.  vii.  viii. 
ix.  X.,  Esa.  liii.,  and  so  all  the  prophets  and  patriarchs; 
and  such  a  sacrifice  as  once  for  all  sufficeth,  Heb.  vii. 

These  two  offices  of  Christ  should  never  be  out  of  re- 
membrance. They  declare  the  infinite  mercy  of  God,  and 
Ukewise  his  indifferent  and  equal  justice  unto  all  creatures 
without  respect  of  persons.  The  token  of  his  mercy  may  be 
known  in  this,  that  he  would  not  that  all  mankind  should' 
be  lost,  though  in  Adam  all  deserved  eternal  death.  He 
opened  his  mercy  unto  Adam  not  only  by  word,  but  also 
by  the  fire  that  descended  upon  his  sacrifices  and  his  son's: 
so  to  Abraham,  then  to  the  world  by  the  incarnation  and 
death  of  his  only  Son,  the  promise  of  grace  and  the  promise 
of  everlasting  life  unto  such  as  repent  and  believe  in  him. 


^  Empire.  R. 
3  His.  R. 


'  Wrath.  R. 

"  [Deite,  in  original.]   Death.  R. 


VI.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


49 


The  signs  of  his  ire  and  displeasure  unto  man  is  this,  that  Godde- 

cl{Lr6d  his 

he  would  not  accept  man  again  into  his  favour  for  no  penanced  wrath 

,  ,  ,        .  .  .,•       against  sin, 

no  sorrow,  no  trouble,  no  adversity,  no  weeping,  no  waihng,  j.'J^^^JjJ^ 
no,  nor  for  the  death  of  any  person,  until  his  own  Son,  most  otherwise 

•I  c         ^  '  be  appeased 

dear  beloved,  by  death  appeased  his  displeasure,  and  became  ^^^^''^f*^^ 
surety  to  satisfy  the  justice  of  God  and  the  right  that  the  son. 
devil  had  unto  all  mankind.  This  if  [a]  °  man  remembered  as 
deeply  and  as  earnestly  as  the  matter  requireth,  it  should 
make  his  heart  full  sorry,  and  bring  him  unto  an  honest  and 
virtuous  trade  of  Hfe ;  to  consider  this  example  of  God's 
justice  and  equity  in  the  appeasing  of  his  own  just  conceived 
ire,  and  likewise  that  he  would  do  no  wrong  unto  his  mortal 
enemj',  the  devil.  Except  the  Son  of  God  had  been  an  equal 
and  just  redemption,  a  price  correspondent  to  contrepece'^ 
and  satisfy  the  culpe"  and  guilt  of  man's  sin,  God  would  not 
have  taken  one  soul  from  the  right  and  justice  of  the  devil. 

Now  [out]*  of  this  infallible  truth,  that  Christ  hath  sacri- 
ficed only  for  sin,  and  his  death  accompted  only  sufficient 
for  the  salvation  of  man,  the  church  of  Christ  is  aright  in- 
structed of  two  most  necessary  articles  ;  first,  of  justification, 
and  then  of  the  right  use  of  the  sacrament  of  his  holy  body. 
Concerning  justification  thus  the  word  of  God  teacheth. 


CAPUT  VII. 

[THE  SEVENTH  CHAPTER.] 
Saint  Paul,  when  he  saith  that  we  be  iustified  by  faith,  of  justifica- 

,    .         -    .     t>0H)  and 

Rom.  iii.  iv.  v.,  he  meaneth  that  we  have  remission  of  sin,  what  u  the 

'  meaning 

reconcihation,  and  acceptation  into  the  favour  of  God.    So  when  it  is 

'  said  that  we 

doth  this  word  justify  signify,  Deut.  xxv.,  Msdich^,  where  as  g^^jj^t*^'*'^'* 
God  commandeth  the  judge  to  justify,  quit,  and  absolve  the 
innocent,  and  to  condemn  and  punish  the  person  culpable. 

Paul  saith.  We  are  justified'"  by  faith,  and  not  by  works. 
To  be  justified  by  faith  in  Christ  is  as  much  to  say  as,  we 

°  For  any  repentance,  sorrow,  &c.  R. 

"  Supplied  from  R.  '  Counterpeise.   R.  [counterpoise]. 

'  Satisfy  for  the,  &c.  R.  [Culpe,  fault.] 
[9  P^'^^ni  Deut.  xxv.  1.   See  Gesenius.] 
[}"  Weor  iustied,  in  the  original.] 

[hooper.] 


50 


A    DECLARATION  OF 


obtain  remission  of  sin,  and  are  accepted  into  the  favour  of 
God,  by  the  merits  of  Christ.  To  be  justified  by  works  is  as 
much  to  say  as,  to  deserve  remission  of  sin  by  works. 

Paul  declareth,  that  for  the  death  and  merits  of  Christ 
we  be  saved,  and  not  by  our  own  virtues.  So  that  faith  doth 
not  only  shew  us  Christ  that  died,  and  now  sitteth  at  the 
right  hand  of  God;  but  also  applieth  the  merits  of  this'  death 
unto  us,  and  maketh  Christ  ours:  faith  laying  nothing  to 
sas-e  unto  the  iustice  of  God  but  the  death  of  Christ,  and 

maketh  ap-  »  »  J  .... 

the  meritf  thereupon  claimeth  mercy  and  God's  promise,  the  remission 
«f  Christ^s  of  sin^  an(j  desireth  God  to  justify  and  deliver  the  soul  from 
the  accusation  of  the  law  and  right  of  the  devil,  which  he  is 
bound  to  do  for  his  promise  sake.   Ezech.  xxxiii.  Matt.  xvii. 
The  con  although  with  this  remission  of  sin  he  giveth  likewise 

science,     the  Holv  Ghost  to  work  the  will  of  God,  to  love  both  God 

touched  ■'  , 

fteungof  neighbour,   [yet]    notwithstanding  the  conscience, 

sin,  seeketh  burdened  and  charged  with  sin,  first  seeketh  remission  thereof. 

with  sorrow  '-' 

peace       For  this  thine  the  conscience  iaboureth  and  contendeth  in 

through  the  o 

Goii  and^the  fe^rs  and  tcrrors  of  sorrow  and  contrition.  It  disputeth 
oTIn^and^  not,  what  virtues  it  bringeth,  wretched  soul^,  to  acclaim  this 
flndlthu  pi*omise  of  mercy;  but  forsaking  her  own  justice,  offereth 
chrisl  Christ,  dead  upon  the  cross\  and  sitting  at  God's  right  hand. 
ufeptSeTf  maketh  it  the  cause  ^  wherefore  this  mercy  should 

deemed  ^®  giveu.  Saving  only  the  death  of  Christ,  which  is  ton  litron, 
captive.  the  Only  sufficient  price  and  gage  for  sin. 
Thoughcon-  And  although  it  be  necessary  and  requisite,  that  in  the 
fSTnda  j"stifi<^*tion  of  a  sinner  contrition  to  be  present,  and  that 
n^cei'sariif  "^o^ssarily  charity  and  [a]^  virtuous  life  must  follow ;  yet  doth 
is"emiJsfon  scripture  attribute  the  only  remission  of  sin  unto  the 
?IineVoniy  ^^^^^  '^^^'^^  '^^  S^''^^'  Only  for  the  merits  of  Christ, 

clrut?'"  received  solely  by  faith.  Paul  doth  not  exclude  those 
wrtues  to  be  present,  but  he  excludeth  the  merits  of  those 
virtues,  and  deriveth  the  cause  of  our  acceptation  into  the 
grace  of  God  only  for  Christ. 

And  mark  this  manner  of  speech:  Fide  justificamur; 


1  His.   R.  2 


Supplied  from  R. 
'  Wretched  soul,  omitted  in  R. 

['  For  sakyng  here  awne  iustice  ofrithe  Christ,  ded  upon  the  crosse, 
in  the  original.]  =  There  is  no  cause.  R. 

Q""  Wliche  is  yeuyne,  in  the  original.] 


VII.] 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


51 


hoc  est,  fidncia  misericordice  swans  justi'.  This  word  faith 
doth  comprehend  as  well  a  persuasion  and  confidence,  that 
the  promise  of  God  appertaineth  unto  him  for  Christ's  sake, 
as  the  knowledge  of  God.  For  faith,  though  it  desire  the 
company  of  contrition  and  sorrow  for  sin,  yet  contendeth 
it  not  in  judgment  upon  the  merits  of  no  works,  but  only  for 
the  merits  of  Christ's  death.  In  case  it  did,  it  availeth  no- 
thing ;  for  if  a  man  desire  to  be  delivered  from  the  law,  the 
law  must  be  satisfied  which  saith,  Diliges  Dominum  Beum 
tuum  ex  tota  mmte,  toto  corde,  et  ex  omnibus  virihus^.  Deut. 
vi.  Now  there  [neither]'  is,  nor  never  was,  any  man  '^o™ -^pg^^^^^ 
of  the  stock  of  Adam  in  original  sin,  that  feared  God  as 
much  as  the  law  requireth,  nor  never  had  such  constant  faith 
as  is  required,  nor  such  ardent  love  as  it  requireth :  seeing 
those  virtues  that  the  law  required  be  infirm  and  debile'",  for 
£heir  merits  we  can  obtain  nothing  of  God.  We  must  there- 
fore only  trust  to  the  merits  of  Christ,  which  satisfied  the 
extreme  jot  and  uttermost  point  of  the  law  for  us.  And  this 
his  justice  and  perfection  he  imputeth  and  communicateth 
with  us  by  faith. 

Such  as  say,  that  only  faith  justifieth  not,  because  other 
virtues  be  present,  they  cannot  tell  what  they  say.    Every  Two^thuigs 
man  that  will  have  his  conscience  appeased,  must  mark  those  served  in 

^  '  ourjustin- 

two  things :  How  remission  of  sin  is  obtained,  and  wherefore  S?"™- 

_       _  '      _  _         The  mean 

it  is  obtained.  Faith  is  the  mean  whereby  it  is  obtained,  ^^gj^JJIfl^^ 
and  the  cause  wherefore  it  is  received  is  the  merits  of  Christ,  and.that  is 

Christ. 

Although  faith  be  the  means  whereby  it  is  received,  yet  hath  ij^^lreby  we 
neither  faith,  nor  charity,  nor  contrition,  nor  the  word  of  ^P^'j^'J^^^^^ 
God,  nor  all  those  knit  together,  sufficient  merits  wherefore  ^^^jfj^" 
we  should  obtain  this  remission  of  sin:  but  the  only  cause 
wherefore  sin  is  forgiven,  is  the  death  of  Christ. 

Now  mark  the  words  of  Paul :  "  Freely,"  saith  he,  "  we 
are  justified  by  his  grace."  Let  the  man  burst  his  heart 
with  contrition,  believe  that  God  is  good  a  thousand  times, 
burn  in  charity ;  yet  shall  not  all  these  satisfy  the  law,  nor 
deliver  man  from  the  ire  of  God,  until  such  time  as  faith 

'  We  are  justified  by  faith;  that  is,  through  the  confidence  of  his 
mercy  we  are  just.  R. 

'  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  mind,  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul.  R.       '  Supphed  from  R.       ^"  Weak.  R. 

4—2 


52 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


letteth  fall  all  hope  and  confidence  in  the  merits  of  such  virtues 
as  be  in  man,  and  say,  "  Lord,  behold  thy  unfruitful  servant ; 
only  for  the  merits  of  Christ's  blood  give  me  remission  of  sins ; 
for  I  know  no  man  can  be  justified  otherwise  before  thee,  as 
David  saith :  Non  justificabitur  in  conspedu  tm  omnis  vimns\ 
Psal.  cxliii.  Again,  Beatus  vir  cui  Dominm  nm  imputat pec- 
catum^,  Psal.  xxxii. 

He  that  would  mark  Christ's  communication  with  that 
An  opening  noble  man  and  ereat  clerk  Nicodemus,  John  iii.,  should  be 

of  the  com-  &  -n    i  i  •  i  i 

munication  satisfied  how  and  wherefore  man  is  lustified  so  plamly,  that 

between  .     .  » 

Nicodemus  adversary  of  the  truth  should  hurt  this  infallible  verity, 
"  sole  faith  to  justify."  Nicodemus,  having  a  good  opinion, 
although  not  a  sufficient  knowledge,  of  Christ,  came  unto 
him  by  night,  and  confessed  him  to  be  sent  from  Grod,  and 
that  because  of  such  works  and  miracles  as  he  had  wrought. 
Christ  made  answer,  "Truly,  Nicodemus,  I  say  unto  thee, 
no  man  can  see  the  kingdom  of  God,  except  he  be  born 
from  above."  Nicodemus,  not  understanding  what  Christ 
meant,  asked  him  how  an  old  man  could  be  born  again,  and 
whether  he  could  enter  his  mother's  belly,  and  then  be  born 
again.  Christ  bringeth  him  yet  near[er]^  unto  the  light,  that 
he  might  know  the  means,  and  saith,  "  I  tell  thee  truly,  Nico- 
demus, that  no  man  can  enter  the  kingdom  of  Grod,  except 
he  be  born  cf  the  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  &c." 

Nicodemus  confessed  yet  again  his  ignorancy,  and  desired 
to  be  further  instructed,  saying,  "  How  may  these  things 
be  ? "  Christ  answered,  "  Thou  art  the  great  master  and 
rabbi  in  Israel,  and  yet  ignorant  of  these  things :"  mean- 
ing, that  great  and  horrible  must  the  ignorancy  of  the  peo- 
ple be,  when  their  doctors  know  not  the  truth,  Nicodemus 
confessing  his  ignorancy,  and  receiving  reproach  at  Christ's 
hand,  because  he  took  upon  him  to  teach  other,  and  yet  a 
fool  himself  in  the  religion  of  God,  might  for  shame  have 
left  Christ  and  his  gospel-yoke  ^  because  he  now  is  made 
a  scholar,  that  before  was  for  his  prudence  and  learning 
the  chief  of  the  Jews,  a  Pharisee  of  most  notable  esti- 
mation.   Christ  straightway  comforteth  him  [and]^  all  other, 

1  No  man  living  shall  be  justified  in  thy  sight.  R. 

^  Blessed  is  the  man  unto  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  no  sin.  Ps.  xxxii.  R. 

^  Supplied  from  R.  "  yke,  1547.  Omitted  in  R. 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


53 


learned  and  unlearned,  and  saith,  "  No  man  ascendeth  into 
heaven,  except  he  that  descended  from  heaven,  the  Son  of  man, 
which  is  in  heaven."  As  though  Christ  had  said  thus :  "  Dis- 
comfort not  thyself,  Nicodemus,  that  although  thou  be  a  great 
learned  man,  and  yet  ignorant  of  the  ways  unto  everlasting 
life.  For  I  promise  thee,  there  is  no  man,  learned  nor  un- 
learuQd,  that  can  of  his  own  wit  and  learning  ascend  unto 
the  knowledge  of  life  everlasting,  but  only  he  that  descended 
from  heaven,  the  Son  of  man,  which  is  in  heaven." 

Now  Nicodemus,  being  destitute  of  all  worldly  and  human 
prudence,  and  finding  himself  full  unable  by  wit  or  learning 
to  follow  the  effect  of  Ohrisfs  preaching  concerning  the  means 
of  salvation,  dependeth  only  of*  the  mouth  of  Christ,  and 
disputeth  no  more  the  matter.  Then  Christ  sheweth  him 
the  way,  and  maketh  a  ladder  for  Nicodemus,  wherewith  he 
may  ascend  into  heaven,  and  saith :  "  This  way  thou  mayest 
understand  the  thing  I  speak  of.  Simt  Moses  emltmit  ser- 
pentem  in  deserto,  ita  exaltari  oportet  filiwm  hominis.  As 
Moses  lift  up  the  serpent  in  the  desert,  so  must  the  Son 
of  man  be  lift  up."  This  history  of  the  serpent  was  not  un- 
known unto  this  learned  man,  albeit  he  considered  not  the 
mystery  and  sacrament  that  it  figured.  Now  Christ  teacheth 
him  in  this  place  to  understand  the  law;  and  because  this 
oration  of  Christ  wroten  by  St  John  is  obscure,  and  lacketh 
a  declaration  somewhat  of  the  purpose  that  Christ  would 
prove,  omittit,  Hebrceorwm  more,  alteram  similitudinis  par- 
tem^ I  will  annex  the  type  and  figure  with  the  effect 
and  mystery  of  the  figure,  and  make  the  text  plain.  Si- 
cut  Moses  exaltavit  serpentem  in  deserto,  sic  exaltari  opor- 
tet filium  hominis'^  Moses  was  commanded  to  lift  up  this 
serpent  in  the  wilderness  for  this  cause,  that  whosoever  was 
stung  or  venomed  with  the  poison  of  the  serpents,  if  he  looked 
upon  the  serpent  of  brass,  might  be  healed.  Here  is  the 
cause  and  the  efifect  declared,  why  the  serpent  was  lift  up. 
Now  to  the  words  of  Christ :  Ita  exaltari  oportet  Filium  hch 

'  Upon.  R. 

"  He  omitteth,  according  to  the  manner  of  the  Hebrews,  the  one 
part  of  the  similitude.  R. 

^  As  Moses  lift  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  so  must  the  Son 
of  man  be  lift  up.  R. 


54 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


minis,  ut  omnis  qui  credit  in  ilium  non  pereat,  sed  habeat 
mtam  mternam\  "So  must  Christ  be  hft  up,  that  as  many 
teacheth  as  beheve  in  him  shall  have  everlasting  life."  Here  is  Nico- 
outotthr  demus  taught  the  way  unto  everlasting  life:  and  because 
he  was  a  doctor  of  Moses'  law,  Christ  by  the  law  made 
open  the  matter  unto  him,  and  brought  him  from  the  shadow 
unto  the  true  body,  and  from  the  letter  unto  the  under- 
standing of  the  letter,  saying :  As  those  that  by  faith  beheld 
the  serpent  were  healed  of  the  stings  of  the  serpent,  so 
such  as  behold  me  in  faith  hanging  upon  the  cross,  shall 
be  healed  from  their  sickness  and  sin,  that  the  devil  by  the 
serpent  infected  mankind  withal. 

Now  let  us  repeat  the  text  of  Moses  again,  that  we  may 
truly  understand  our  Saviour's  words:  Fac  tibi  serpentem 
urentem,  et  pone  eum  impalwm  in  sublime  sublatwm,  fietque, 
si  serpens  aliquem  momorderit,  intueatur  eum,  et  incolumis 
erit^. 

The  cause        jn  theso  words  is  declared  three  things: 

why  the  ser-  "  ^ 

pent  was  First,  why  the  serpent  was  set  up  :  the  cause,  the  people 
were  stung  with  serpents. 

Indefect        Second,  the  effect,  the  health  of  the  people. 

The  use  of       Third,  the  use,  that  they  should  look  upon  him. 

the  serpent.  John  declareth  why  Christ  was  made  man,  the  use 

and  the  effect  of  his  humanity,  in  these  words :  Sic  Deus  dilexit 
mwndum,  ut  filium  suum  migenitum  daret,  ut  omnis  qui  credit 

The  cause   in  eum  non  pereat,  sed  habeat  vitam  ceternam^.    The  cause  of 

of  Christ's 

incarnation,  his  comiug  was  the  sin  and  sickness  of  man,  bitten  by  the 
The  effect  of  Serpent  in  paradise.    The  effect  of  his  coming  was  the  health 
use  thereof,  of  this  sickness.    The  use  of  his  coming  was  to  believe  that 
his  death  upon  the  cross  was  and  is  sufficient  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sin,  and  to  obtain  eternal  life. 

Here  is  the  justification  of  man  Hvely  expressed,  and 
how  many  things  concur  as  necessary  unto  the  remission  of 

^  So  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lift  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  R. 

^  Make  unto  thee  a  (fiery)  serpent,  and  set  it  on  high  upon  a  pole ; 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  if  a  serpent  sting  any  and  he  look  upon 
that,  he  shall  be  safe.    R.    [Numb.  xxi.  9.] 

^  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  to  the 
end  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal 
life.  R. 


VII.] 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


55 


sin ;  and  yet  man  only  justified  by  faith : — the  word  of  Grod, 
the  preacher  of  the  word,  Christ  himself,  the  contrition  of 
Nicodemus,  the  Holy  Ghost  that  moved  Nicodemus  to  come 
by  night  unto  Christ,  the  consenting  will  of  Nicodemus  unto 
the  words  of  Christ ;  yet  only  was  he  delivered  from  sin  by 
the  faith  that  he  had  in  the  death  of  Christ,  as  Christ  saith : 
Sic  oportet  emltari  Filium  hominis,  ut  omnis  qui  credit  in 
ilium  nm  pereat,  sed  habeat  vitam  cBternam*.  This  must  be 
diligently  marked.  For  as  the  fathers  of  the  old  church 
used  the  serpent,  so  must  those  of  our  church  use  the  pre- 
cious body  of  Christ.  They  looked  upon  him  only  with  the 
eyes  of  faith,  they  kissed  him  not,  they  cast  no  water  upon 
him,  and  so  washed  their  eyes  therewithal ;  they  touched  him 
not  with  their  hands,  they  ate  him  not,  nor  corporally,  nor 
really,  nor  substantially:  yet  by  their  beUef  they  obtained  health. 
So  Christ  himself  teacheth  us  the  use  of  his  precious  body: 
to  believe  and  look  upon  the  merits  of  his  passion  suffered 
upon  the  cross,  and  so  to  use  his  precious  body  against  the 
sting  of  original  and  actual  sin :  not  to  eat  his  body  trans- 
formed into  the  form  of  bread,  or  in  the  bread,  with  the 
bread,  under  the  bread,  behind  the  bread,  or  before  the  bread, 
corporally  or  bodily,  substantially  or  really,  invisible,  or  any 
such  ways,  as  many  men,  to  the  great  injury  of  Christ's  body, 
doth  teach. 

But  as  the  children  of  Israel  only  by  faith  ate  the  body 
spiritually,  not  yet  born,  so  by  faith  doth  the  Christians  eat 
him  now,  being  ascended  into  heaven,  and  none  otherwise, 
as  Christ  saith  unto  Nicodemus :  Omnis  qui  credit  in  eum 
non  pereaP  Grant  that  we  could  as  well  eat  his  carnal  body 
as  we  eat  other  meat,  yet  the  eating  thereof  nothing  availed. 
And  if  the  apostles  had  corporally  eaten  him  in  his  last  sup- 
per, it  had  profited  nothing;  for  he  took  not  his  body  of  the 
holy  Virgin  to  that  use,  to  be  eaten  for  the  remission  [of]° 
sin,  or  to  sanctify  him  that  eat[eth]*  him,  but  to  die  for  sin, 
and  that  ways  to  sanctify  his  church.  As  he  saith  himself, 
that  only  by  death  the  fruit  of  his  incarnation  should  be 

*  So  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lift  up>  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  R. 

^  That  every  one  which  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish.  R. 
"  Supplied  from  R. 


56 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


dispersed  into  the  world :  Nisi  granvm  frumenti  dejedim  in 
terram  mortuum  fuerit,  ipsum  solum  manet.  Mortua  prodest 
caro,  non  cotnesa\  But  of  this  I  will  speak  farther  in  the 
chapter  that  followeth. 

This  example  of  Nicodemus  declareth,  that  neither  the 
works  that  go  before  justification,  neither  those  that  follow 
justification,  deserve  remission  of  sin.  Though  sole  faith  ex- 
clude not  other  virtues  to  be  present  at  the  conversion  of 
every  sinner,  yet  doth  sole  faith,  and  only,  exclude  the  merits 
of  other  virtues,  and  obtaineth  solely  remission  of  sin  for 
Christ's  sake,  herself  alone  :  as  Paul  saith,  Ephes.  ii.  Gratia 
salvati  estis  per  Jidem,  idque  non  ex  vobis,  Dei  donwm  est ;  non 
ex  operihus,  ne  quis  ghrietur^.  Where  as  plainly  he  excludeth 
the  dignity  of  works,  and  affirmeth  us  to  be  reconciled  by 
faith.  So  doth  John,  chap.  i.  attribute  those  two  singular 
gifts  unto  Christ,  grace  and  verity,  saying :  Lex  per  Mosen 
data  est,  gratia  et  Veritas  per  Jesum  Christum  facta  est^ 
Here  grace  signifieth  free  remission  of  sin  for  the  merits  of 
Christ  :  verity  is  the  true  knowledge  of  God,  and  the 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Grhost  that  followeth  the  remission  of  sin. 
What  evil    Therefore  such  as  say  they  be  not  iustified  only  by  faith  in 

followeth  to  p  /-I    1    1         1  . 

deny  men  to  the  mercy  01  (jrod  through  Christ,  extenuate  sin  and  God's 

be  justified  ... 

by  faith  only  ire  agaiust  sin  too  much,  and  likewise  spoil  Christ  of  his 

m  the  mercy  ^ 

of  God.      honour,  who  is  the  only  sacrifice  that  taketh  away  the  sin 
of  the  world. 

They  that  will  justify  themselves  any  other  ways  than  by 
faith,  doth  doubt  always  whether  their  sins  be  forgiven  or 
not ;  and  by  reason  of  this  doubt  they  can  never  pray  unto 
God  aright.  For  he  that  doubteth  whether  God  be  his  friend 
or  not,  prayeth  not,  but  as  an  ethnick  saith  his  Pater- 
noster, without  faith  and  godly  motion  of  the  heart.  He 
that  is  persuaded  by  the  gospel,  though  his  own  unworthi- 
ness  fear*  him  from  God,  yet  beholdeth  he  the  Son  of  God, 

'  Except  the  com  being  cast  into  the  earth  do  die,  it  remaineth 
alone.  The  flesh  profiteth  in  that  it  died  for  us,  not  in  that  it  is  to  be 
eaten  really  of  us.  R. 

2  Through  grace  ye  are  saved,  by  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves; 
it  is  the  gift  of  God ;  not  of  works,  lest  any  should  boast  themselves  R 

'  The  law  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus 
Christ.    R.  Fear,  frighten.] 


VII.] 


CHRIST    AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


57 


and  believeth  that  both  he  and  his  prayers  be  accepted  in 
Christ ;  and  thus  accepted  into  grace,  will  follow  the  life  of 
a  justified  man,  as  Paul  commandeth  (Rom.  viii.  Coloss.  iii.), 
and  as  all  the  scripture  giveth  example.  For  it  is  no  profit 
to  say  sole  faith  justifieth,  except  godliness  of  life  follow,  as 
Paul  saith  :  Si  secundum  carnem  mxeritis,  moriemini^  He  Justification 
that  hath  obtained  the  remission  of  sin  must  diligently  pray  bringeth 
lor  the  preservation  of  God  s  favour,  as  Uavid  giveth  example  mony  and 

111,1  .         ^  7  •  r,        holiness  of 

unto  the  whole  church,  saying :  Cor  mundum  crea  m  me,  Veus,  ufe. 
et  spiritum  rectum  innova  in  viscerihus  meis.    Ne  projicias 
me  a  facie  tua,  et  Spiritum  sanctum  tuum  ne  auferas  a  me. 
Bedde  mihi  loetitiam  salutaris  tui,  et  spiritu  principali  suf- 
fulci  me^.    Psalm  1. 

This  prayer  containeth  a  wonderful  doctrine,  and  neces-  The  tenor  of 

1  -1  -1  •  1  1      1      Ti-  David's 

sary  to  be  daily  repeated  with  great  attention  and  heed.  First,  prayer, 
he  desireth  to  have  a  heart  pure  and  neat,  judging  aright 
of  God,  to  fear  his  justice  against  sin,  and  to  believe  stead- 
fastly his  promised  mercy  unto  the  penitent ;  and  that  this 
light  and  knowledge  be  not  taken  from  him  by  the  devil  or 
vanity  of  the  world,  as  daily  we  see  such  as  hath  the  know- 
ledge of  God's  word  to  live  more  worldly  than  he  that  knoweth 
not  what  God  is.  Then  [hej^  prayeth  to  have  the  help  of  God 
to  govern  all  his  counsels,  and  all  the  motions  of  his  heart, 
that  they  may  be  agreeable  unto  the  law  of  God,  full  of  faith, 
fear,  and  charity ;  that  for  sin  he  be  no  more  cast  out  from 
the  face  and  favour  of  God ;  prayeth  to  have  strength  in  ad- 
versity, and  to  rejoice  under  the  cross  of  affliction ;  not  to 
murmur  nor  grudge  at  any  trouble,  but  to  obey  willingly  the 
pleasure  of  God ;  not  to  leave  him  nor  mistrust  his  mercy  for 
any  punishment,  but  to  suflfer  what  God  pleaseth,  as  much  as 
God  pleaseth,  and  when  God  pleaseth. 

These  virtues  must  man  practise  and  use,  after  he  is  Bein?  justi- 

11     fied  by  faith 

justified,  as  well  as  to  obtain  remission  oi  his  sin,  or  else  he  after  the  ex- 
is  not  justified  at  all :   he  is  but  a  speaker  of  justification,  ^brabam, 
and  hath  no  iustice  within  him.    As  he  maketh  Christ  only  follow  the 

example  of 
Abraham's 
life 

^  If  ye  live  according  to  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die.  R. 

^  Create  a  clean  heart,  [and  renew  a  right  spirit]  within  me.  Cast 
me  not  away  from  thy  face,  and  take  not  thy  holy  Spirit  from  me. 
Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  saving  health,  and  stablish  me  with  thy 
free  spirit.    Psal.  1.    R.    [Psal.  li.]  ^  Supplied  from  R. 


58 


A    DECIiAHATION-  OF 


his  Saviour,  so  must  he  follow  such  as  were  of  Christ's  family  ; 
the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  the  apostles,  in  the  life  prescribed 
by  Christ,  as  they  did ;  or  else  they  shall  be  no  disciples  of 
the  prophets,  that  were  the  doers  as  well  as  the  speakers  of 
virtue,  but  rather  the  disciples  of  the  poets,  that  only  com- 
mended virtue  and  followed  it  not,  as  Ovid  saith' : 
Est  Deus  in  nobis :  agitante  calescimus  illo ; 
Sedibus  sethereis  spiritus  ille  venit^ 

These  holy  words  availed  nothing. 

Such  as  cannot  understand  the  Epistle  of  Paul  to'  the 
Eomans  concerning  justification,  and  what  life  is  required  of 
him  that  is  justified,  let  him  read  diligently  the  first  Epistle 
of  John,  and  then  he  shall  right  well  perceive  another  life 
to  be  required  of  the  justified  man  than  the  gospellers  lead 
now-a-day,  that  hath  words  without  facts,  which  slandereth 
the  gospel,  and  promoteth  it  not ;  as  it  is  to  be  seen,  the 
more  pity  !  in  such  men  and  such  countries^  as  the  truth  hath 
been  preached  a  long  time.  For  the  receiving  of  it  unwor- 
thily the  Lord  will  doubtless  take  from  them  his  word,  and 
leave  them  unto  their  own  lusts.  For  this  is  certain  and  too 
true :  let  the  whole  gospel  be  preached  unto  the  world,  as  it 
ought  to  be ;  penance^  and  a  virtuous  life  with  faith,  as  God 
preached  the  gospel  unto  Adam  in  Paradise,  Noe,  Abraham, 
Moses,  Esay,  saying:  Vce !  genti  peccatrici* ;  John  the 
Baptist :  Poenitentiam  agite,  appropinquat  regnum  coelorum 
as  Christ  did :  Eesipiscite  et  credite  evangelium^,  Mark  i. ; 
and  then  of  an  hundred  that  cometh  to  the  gospel  there  would 
not  come  one.  When  they  hear  sole  faith  and  the  mercy  of 
God  to  justify,  and  that  they  may  eat  all  meats  at  all  times 
with  thanksgiving,  they  embrace  that  gospel  with  all  joy  and 
willing  heart.  And  what  is  he  that  would  not  receive  this 
gospel  ?    The  flesh  itself,  were  there  no  immortal  soul  in  it, 

P  Ovid's  words  are: 

Est  Deus  in  nobis,  et  sunt  commercia  coeli : 
Sedibus  aetheriis  spiritus  ille  venit.] 
^  God  is  in  us,  through  his  motion  it  is  we  are  warm:  this  same 
spirit  cometh  from  celestial  places.  R. 

3  Repentance.  R.  *  Woe  be  to  the  sinful  generation.  R. 

=  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand.  R. 
"  Repent,  and  believe  the  gospel.  R. 


VII.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


59 


would  receive  this  gospel,  because  it  promiseth  aid,  help, 
and  consolation,  without  works ;  and  when  it  heareth  that  it 
may  as  well  eat  a  pasty  of  venison  upon  the  Friday  as  a 
herring,  what  is  he  that  would  not  be  such  a  gospeller  2  But 
now  speak  of  the  other  part  of  the  gospel,  as  Paul  teacheth 
to  the  Romans,  chap.  viii. :  iSi  secundum  carnem  vixeritis, 
moriemini'' ;  and  as  he  prescribeth  the  life  of  a  justified  man 
in  the  same  epistle,  xii.  xiii.  xiv.  xv.  xvi.  chap. ;  Christ, 
Matt.  x. ;  Peter,  2  Pet.  i.  He  that  is  justified,  let  him  study 
those  canons  to  live  by. 

Saint  Paul  writeth  to  a  justified  church  of  the  Corin- 
thians, and  to  such  as  had  received  the  knowledge  of  the 
gospel,  and  saith,  Si  quis,  cum  /rater  appelletur,  fuerit  scor- 
tator,  aut  avarus,  aut  simulacrorum  cultor,  aut  conviciator,  aut 
elriosus,  aut  rapax,  cum  ejusmodi  ne  simul  capiatis",  1  Cor.  v. 
This  part  of  the  gospel  is  not  so  pleasant  as  the  other; 
therefore  men  take  the  first  liberty,  and  neglect  the  fruits  that 
should  follow  the  gospel,  and  think  themselves  to  be  rich  in 
the  gospel,  as  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans  judged  of  them- 
selves, Apocalyp.  iii.,  when  they  be  indeed  miserable,  and 
wretched,  poor,  and  naked  of  all  godliness.  Paul  declareth, 
Rom.  viii.,  what  it  is  to  be  justified,  and  to  be  in  Christ, 
to  walk  after  the  Spirit :  he  saith.  Nulla  condemnatio  est  lex 
Ms  qui  sunt  in  Christo  Jesu,  qui  secundum  Spiritum  ambu- 
lant^. 

For  a  conclusion,  justification  is  a  free  remission  of  sin, 
and  acceptation  into  the  favour  of  God,  for  Christ's  merits : 
the  which^"  remission  of  sin  must  follow  necessarily  amend- 
ment of  life,  or  else  we  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain. 
2  Cor.  vi.  Rom.  viii.  2  Peter  i. 

If  ye  live  according  to  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die.  R. 
^  If  any  that  is  called  a  brother,  be  a  fornicator  or  covetous,  or  an 
idolater,  [or  a  reviler,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner,]  with  such  eat 
.  not.   1  Cor.  V.  R. 

"  There  is  no  condemnation  to  those  [that]  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
which  walk  after  the  Spirit.  R. 
1"  After  which.  R. 


60  A   DECLARATION   OP  [CH. 


CAPUT  VIII. 

[THE  EIGHTH  CHAPTER.] 

Thedoctrine  Of  this  infallible  verity,  "  Only  the  death  of  Christ  to  be 
teacheth  the  the  Sacrifice  for  the  expiation  of  sin,"  may  be  necessarily 

true  use  of  ,        .  ,  ■,  „    ,      -r      t>  i  •  i 

the  Lord's  tauffht  the  right  and  true  use  of  the  Lords  supper,  which 

supper  „  ,1 

arisethout  men  Call  the  mass. 

of  the  doc-  .     .  .„  ,        .     .  -n  • 

trine  of  First,  it  IS  manifest,  that  it  is  not  a  sacrihce  tor  sm, 

justification.  i     <»  /-^    i      i  •  i 

as  men  teach,  contrary  unto  the  word  oi  (rod,  that  saith, 
"  Christ  by  one  sacrifice  made  perfect  all  things,"  Heb.  vii. 
viii.  ix.  X. ;  and  as  John  saith,  Sanguis  Jesu  Christi  emun- 
dat  nos  a  peccatis' :  and  there  remaineth  no  more  after  it, 
as  Paul  saith,  Ubi  peccatorum  remissio,  ibi  non  amplius  hostia 
pro  peccato^;  and,  to  take  away  all  doubt  that  remission  of 
sin  cannot  be  obtained  for  the  merits  of  the  mass,  Paul  saith 
plainly,  that  without  blood-shedding  no  sacrifice  can  merit 
remission  of  sin. 

Although  Christ  now  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and 
pray  for  his  church,  and  likewise  doth  offer  the  prayers  and 
complaint  of  us  that  believe,  yet  it  is  only  for  the  merits 
of  his  death  that  we  obtain  the  mercy  of  God's  promise; 
in  the  which  he  sustained  such  pain,  that  the  remembrance 


decoration  ^^ereof,  and  the  greatness  of  God's  ire  against  sin,  put  his 

of( 
pain  i 
sins. 


Lnftjr our  P^cious  body  and  soul  in  such  an  agony  and  fear,  that  his 
passion  of  sorrow  surmounted  the  passions  of  all  men,  that 
ever  travailed  or  were  burdened  with  the  weight  and  peace 
of  God's  importable  ire  against  man  for  sin ;  insomuch  that 
he  wept  not  only  tears  of  blood,  but  so  abundantly  pain  forced 
them  to  descend,  that  they  trickled  upon  the  ground.  Sore 
troubled  and  overcome  with  sorrow  was  David,  Psalm  vi., 
when  he  washed  his  bed  with  tears  for  sin ;  but  it  was  joy 
and  mirth,  if  his  pains  be  conferred  to'  these  dolours  of  Christ; 
they  wanted  no  augmentation.  This  sacrifice  was  killed  a 
little  and  a  little ;  from  one  place  of  judgment  sent  unto  the 
other;  and  always  from  the  flames  into  the  ardent  coals. 
His  death  upon  the  cross  so  differed,  that  although  he  was 
^  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  doth  cleanse  us  from  all  sin.  R. 
^  Where  remission  of  sins  is,  there  is  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin.  R. 
Conferred  to :  compared  with.] 


VIII.] 


CHRIST   AND    HIS  OFFICE. 


61 


very  God,  and  the  dear  beloved  Son  of  the  Father,  his  ab- 
jection was  so  contemptible  and  vile,  that  he  cried  out  as  a 
man  most  destitute  of  God's  favour  and  love,  and  said,  Dem 
mens!  Dem  meus!  quare  dereliquisti  me*?  And  until  such  time 
as  he  offered  his  most  holy  soul  unto  the  Father,  and  his 
blessed  side  pierced  with  the  spear,  his  pains  and  sorrows 
increased.  Lo  !  thus  was  the  manner  to  offer  Christ  for  sin ! 
After  this  sort  and  cruel  handling  of  Christ  was  the  ire  of 
God  appeased. 

If  they  sacrifice  Christ  in  the  mass,  let  them  hang  him 
[like]  ^  tyrants  again  upon  the  cross,  and  thrust  a  spear  to  his 
blessed  heart,  that  he  may  shed  his  blood  ;  for  "  without  shed- 
ding of  blood  is  no  remission."  The  scripture  damneth  this 
abuse  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  is  the  conculcation^  of  his 
precious  blood. 

As  concerning  the  use  of  this  sacrament  and  all  other  The  sincere 

i1  •  1  •  1  1  n  1  1111 

the  rites  and  ceremonies  that  be  godly,  they  should  be  so  Lord's  sup- 
kept  and  used  in  the  church,  as  they  were  delivered  unto 
us  of  the  high  bishop  Christ,  the  author  of  all  sacraments. 
For  this  is  true,  that  he  most  godly,  most  religiously,  and 
most  perfectly  instituted  and  celebrated  the  supper,  and  none 
otherways  than  the  evangelist  doth  record.  The  best  manner 
and  most  godly  way  to  celebrate  this  supper  is  to  preach  the 
death  of  Christ  unto  the  church,  and  the  redemption  of  man, 
as  Christ  did  at  his  supper,  and  there  to  have  common 
prayers,  as  Christ  prayed  with  his  disciples ;  then  to  repeat 
the  last  words  of  the  supper,  and  with  the  same  to  break 
the  bread  and  distribute  the  wine  to  the  whole  church; 
then,  giving  thanks  to  God,  depart  in  peace. 

These  ceremonies  that  God  instituted  not,  but  repugneth 
God's  institution,  be  not  necessary,  but  rather  in  any  case  to 
be  left,  because  they  abrogate  the  institution  of  Christ,  It 
seemeth  sufficient  unto  me,  if  the  church  do  as  Christ  hath 
commanded  it  to  do.  St  Paul  to  the  Corinthians,  after  the  [i  cor.  xi.j 
ascension  of  Christ  at  least  eighteen  years,  wrote  his  epistle, 
and  said  he  would  deliver  them  nothing  but  that  he  had 
received  of  the  Lord,  and  wrote  concerning  the  use  of  the 
supper,  as  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke  writeth. 

*  My  God !  my  God !  wherefore  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  R. 

^  Supplied  from  R.  ^  As  the  conculcation  or  treading  under  foot.  R. 


62 


A    DECLARATION  OF 


This  is  therefore  an  ungodly  disputation  that  the  papists 
contend  about,  the  change  and  alteration  of  the  bread ;  and 
also  a  false  and  pernicious  doctrine,  that  teacheth  the  cor- 
poral presence  of  Christ,  both  God  and  man,  in  the  bread. 
How  Christ  For  although  Christ  said  of  the  bread,  "  This  [is]'  my  body," 

spake  when  .  °  ,       ,  -i  .     •     ,-i  x  j. 

he  said  of   it  is  well  Icnown  that  he  purposed  to  mstitute  a  sacrament ; 

the  brcsd 

"This  is  my  therefore  he  spake  of  a  sacrament  sacramentally.    To  speak 

'>ody."  ft    1       1  •  1  • 

sacramentally  is  to  give  the  name  of  the  thmg  to  the  sign ; 
so  yet  notwithstanding,  that  the  nature  and  substance  of 
the  sign  remaineth,  and  is  not  turned  into  the  thing  that  it 
signifieth.  Further,  the  verity  of  the  scripture,  and  the 
verity  of  a  christian  faith,  will  not  suffer  to  judge  and  be- 
lieve Christ's  body,  invisible  or  visible,  to  be  upon  the  earth. 
Acts  i.,  Luke  ult.,  Mark  ult.,  Acts  iii. 

If  we  hkewise  consider  the  other  places  of  the  scripture, 
John  vi.  xvi.  xvii.,  we  shall  find  that  Christ  would  not,  nor 
meant  not,  to  institute  any  corporal  presence  of  his  body, 
but  a  memory  of  the  body  slain,  resuscitated,  ascended  into 
How  we  eat  heavens,  and  from  thence  to  come  unto  judgment.    True  it 
Christ,  and  IS,  that  the  body  is  eaten,  and  the  blood  drunken,  but  not 
blood.       corporally.    In  faith  and  spirit  it  is  eaten,  and  by  that  sacra- 
ment the  promise  of  God  sealed  and  confirmed  in  us,  the 
corporal  body  remaining  in  heaven. 

In  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  Matthew,  Christ,  giving 
his  church  warning  of  this  heresy,  to  come  by  the  preaching 
of  folse  prophets,  said  :  "  They  will  say,  '  Lo  !  here  is  Christ, 
lol  there  is  Christ!'  believe  them  not;  for  as  the  lightning 
Cometh  from  the  east  into  the  west,  so  shall  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  be;"  meaning  by  these  words,  that  his  body 
is  not  a  fantastical  body  nor  invisible,  as  these  teach  that 
say  his  corporal  body  is  corporally  given  in  the  bread,  with 
the  bread,  and  under  the  bread  invisible.  Against  this  error 
I  will  set  the  word  of  God,  and  declare  the  truth  thereby, 
that  they  have  but  an  imagination  or  idea'  of  Christ's  body, 
and  not  the  natural  and  corporal  body. 
ag~the  =  Chj'ist  bid  his  disciples 

«enc?in  the  ^^^^  ™^  ^^^^"^  ^™  ^^^^  s^o^^d  Say,  Lo  !  here  is 

sacrament.  Christ !  Or,  there  is  Christ !  He  spake  of  his  body  doubtless 
and  human  nature  :  for  he  commandeth  us  to  believe  that  his 
1  Supplied  from  R.  ^  y^eam,  1547.    ydea.  R. 


VIII.] 


CHRIST  AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


63 


Godhead  is  every  where,  as  David  saith;  and  as  he  saith, 
"  My  Father  and  I  am  one."  Likewise  he  told  them  by  plain 
words,  Matt,  the  last  chapter,  that  he  would  be  with  them 
unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Christ  having  but  two  natures, 
one  divine  and  the  other  human,  by  these  express  words 
now  he  declareth  [himself]^  to  be  present  with  the  one  and 
absent  with  the  other.  These  things  marked,  I  put  this 
matter  in  comprise,  to  be  judged  of  every  humble  and  cha- 
ritable spirited  man,  who  judgeth  aright  of  the  body  of 
Christ ;  those  that  say  bodily  he  is  not  in  the  sacrament, 
or  these  that  say  he  is  bodily  and  corporally  there.  If  he 
be  there  corporally  and  bodily,  as  they  say,  why  shall  I  not 
believe  these  words,  Ecce  Mc!  ecce  illic'^ !  and  say,  Christ 
lieth  that  said.  Believe  them  not  that  say,  Lo  !  here  is  my 
body,  or,  there  is  my  body  ?  Christ,  having  good  experience 
of  the  devil's  subtlety,  that  he  would  intoxicate  the  wit  of 
man  with  more  subtle  reasons  than  the  simple  heart  could 
eschew,  prepared  of  his  mercy  a  means  to  preserve  the  faith 
of  the  simple ;  and  against  the  sophistical  and  crafty  reason 
of  the  devil,  God  calleth  man  to  the  judgment  of  his  senses, 
and  saith,  "  Reason  what  they  will  of  my  body,  and  say  it  is  Christ  win 

'  •'  J         J  J       ^       J  jjave  our 

here  or  there  substantially,  bodily,  corporally,  believe  them  |enses^to^^^ 
not :  trust  to  thine  eye ;  for  as  the  lightning  sensible  cometh  }J '^^ 
from  the  east  into  the  west,  so  shall  the  coming  of  the  Son 
of  man  be."  How  so  I  Turned  into  fire  ?  No,  so  visible  and 
sensible.  God  wist  right  well,  when  he  called  man  from 
reason  to  the  judgment  of  his  senses,  what  doctors  and 
doctrine  should  follow  of  his  sensible  body:  one  to  change 
a  cake  into  his  body,  and  another  to  teach,  though  the  cake 
be  not  his  body,  yet  is  his  body  present  corporally,  sub- 
stantially, really,  bodily;  the  same  body  that  hanged  upon 
the  cross,  and  is  given  by  hand,  with  the  bread,  under  the 
bread,  and  in  the  bread,  and  yet  insensible. 

Grant  all  their  glosses  and  interpretations  to  be  true, 
as  they  be  most  false ;  and  say,  as  they  would  have  it,  that 
the  very  true  humanity,  and  Christ  in  the  true  shape  and 
form  of  a  man,  (as  he  is  with  all  qualities  and  quantities, 
except  sin  and  immortality,)  to  be  in  the  bread,  under  the 
bread,  or  with  the  bread,  after  the  bread,  or  before  the 

'  Supplied  from  R.  *  Behold  here  !  behold  there !  R. 


64 


A    DECLARATION  OF 


bread ;  and  say,  "  There  is  present,  in  the  priest's  hand,  as 
great  a  body,  and  as  natural  a  man,  as  the  priest  or  minister 
is  himself,  the  word  of  God  made  man,"  (so  they  would  have 
it;)  they  shall  never  deceive  a  godly  Christian  with  their 
glosses :  for  he  will  trust  unto  the  simphcity  of  God's  word 
that  saith,  Nolite  credere.  Believe  them  not,  till  they  shew 
my  body  unto  the  senses;  "for  as  the  hghtning,"  [&c.] 

The  defenders  of  this  doctrine,  because  they  be  not  able 
to  answer  unto  such  as  writeth  and  preacheth  the  truth,  they 
challenge  and  attribute  unto  themselves  the  only  knowledge 
of  truth,  and  say,  their  contraries'  be  not  learned,  nor  cannot 
understand  them.  Grant  there  were  none  learned  that  de- 
fendeth  this  truth,  as  there  be,  hath,  and  ever,  till  the  world's 
end,  shall  be ;  yet  will  the  truth  defend  itself :  and  because  no 
man  should  in  this  matter  leave  the  truth,  though  better 
learned  than  he  judge  fantasticaUy  of  a  true  body,  Christ  would 
his  simple  disciple  to  judge  sensibly  of  his  natural  body,  and 
let  this  sophistication  pass,  and  saith  his  body  shall  be  as 
sensible  as  the  lightning  in  the  air,  and  not  invisible  with  a 
piece  of  bread ;  though  that  most  religious  sacrament  ought 
to  be  most  godly  used  for  the  mystery  that  it  containeth,  and 
likewise  the  promise  of  grace  that  it  confirmeth. 

They  say,  this  place  maketh  not  against  the  presence  of 
Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament,  but  against  such  as  should 
preach,  in  the  latter  days,  false  doctrine  against  Christ's 
doctrine,  and  make  another  Christ.  True  it  is,  he  speaketh 
of  such  as  should  preach  false  doctrine :  but  what  should 
be  that  false  doctrine  that  could  be  overcome  with  these 
words,  Nolite  credere ;  sicut  fulgetrum  coruscans  venit  ah  ori- 
ente  in  occidente,  ita  erit  adventm  Filii  hominis^f  What 
heresy  readeth  any  man  in  the  histories,  to  be  vanquished 
by  these  words?  Not  of  Samosatenus^  that  was  condemned 
in  the  council  of  Nice;  not  of  Nestor,  that  denied  two 
natures  to  be  united  in  Christ ;  nor  of  Eutyches,  that  said 
one  nature  was  converted  into  the  other  :  none  of  the  heresies 

^  Adversaries.  R. 

=  Believe  them  not;  for  as  the  Hghtning  cometh  out  of  the  east  and 
shineth  into  the  west,  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be.  R. 

Paul  of  Samosata,  bishop  of  Antioch,  who  lived  in  the  3rd  centuiy, 
and  held  heretical  opinions  on  the  Trinity.  See  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles. 
Lib.  VII.  cap.  30.] 


VIII.] 


CHRIST  AND  HISS  OFFICE. 


65 


that  the  devil  moved  against  the  essence  and  divine  majesty 
of  God,  as  Marcion  and  the  Manichees,  that  said  there  were 
two  Gods  and  both  eternal,  the  one  good  and  the  other  ill, 
always  the  one  repugnant  to  the  other :  neither  yet  the  heresy 
of  Valentiniane^,  that  said  there  were  innumerable  gods :  but 
this  false  doctrine  Christ  spake  by  such  as  would,  after  his 
ascension  into  heaven  corporally,  yet  preach  in  the  latter  days* 
unto  the  people,  that  his  body  should  be  in  the  earth ;  and 
therefore  gave  them  these  words,  "Believe  them  not;  for 
as  the  lightning  cometh  from  the  east  to  the  west,  so  shall  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be." 

Christ  spake  of  those  that  should  deceive  the  people  in 
the  time  between  his  ascension  and  coming  to  judgment.  For 
in  the  end  of  the  world  it  shall  be  no  need  to  bid  us  beware; 
for  all  false  preachers  shall  be  damned  when  his  glorious  body 
sHall  appear.  He  that  believeth  before"  that  the  natural 
body  of  Christ  can  be  here  any  way  corporally,  neglecteth  the 
commandment  of  Christ,  Nolite  credere"^.  Matt.  xxiv.  ;  and 
likewise  forgetteth  his  creed,  Sedet  ad  dextram  Patris,  inde 
vmturus  est,  Sfc.^  And  Luke  saith  plainly,  that  as  visibly 
as  he  ascended,  so  shall  he  descend  at  the  latter  day,  and  not 
before,  as  he  saith  Acto.  iii.  Because  they  defend  their  opinion 
by  the  wrong  interpretation  of  the  words  in  the  articles  of  our 
faith,  I  will  answer  to  one  or  two  objections  that  they  make. 

First,  they  say  that  this  word  "Heaven"  in  the  article 
of  our  faith,  Ascmdit  ad  ccehs^,  signifieth  no  certain  and 
determinate  place,  but  generally  all  the  world,  heaven,  earth, 
and  hell,  wheresoever  God's  power  be  manifested;  and  so 
saith,  that  the  right  hand  of  God  betokeneth  no  place,  but 
the  whole  power  of  God :  as  when  I  say,  Sedet  ad  dextram 
Dei^",  it  is  as  much  to  say  as,  he  is  in  his  humanity  every 
where,  as  his  Deity  is. 

*  [Nestorius  held  that  Christ  had  two  persons  as  well  as  two  natures ; 
Eutyches,  that  he  had  only  one  nature  in  one  person;  Marcion  and 
Manes,  that  there  were  in  the  Godhead  two  opposing  principles ;  and 
Valentine,  thirty  or  more  principles  or  seons.] 

*  In  the  latter  days,  omitted  in  R. 

*  Therefore.    R.  ^  Believe  them  not.  R. 

'  He  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  from  thence  he  shall 
come,  &c.    R.  '  He  ascended  into  heaven.  R, 

"  He  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  R. 

5 

[hooper.] 


66  A    DECLARATION   OP  [^*^* 

Answers  to  Unto  the  first  this  I  answer,  that  heaven  in  no  place 
jertionsof  of  the  scripture  is  so  taken,  though  it  signify  sometime  all 

the  adver-  r  '  o  i         j  xi,       -a  • 

saries.  the  Celestial  bodies  above,  heavens  eternal,  and  then  it  sig- 
nifieth  the  air,  as  Psalm  cxlix.  Aquce  quw  supra  ccelos  sunt 
laudent  mmen  Domini^;  and  sometime  it  signifieth  only  the 
superior  place  of  creatures,  as  in  the  same  Psalm,  Laudate 
eum  coeli  supremi'.  Into  these  superior  heavens  Christ  as- 
cended, as  the  manner  of  his  ascension  declareth,  Luc. 
ultimo,  Acto.  i.  He  took  his  disciples  with  him  into  the 
mount  of  Olivet,  and  bid  them  there  farewell.  He  departed 
bodily  from  them,  as  their  eyes  bare  them  record ;  and  a 
cloud  received  this'  body,  that  it  could  no  more  be  seen:  yet 
what  became  of  this''  body  after  that  it  passed  their  sight? 
That  no  question  afterward  should  be,  where  this  body 
was  become,  Luke  saith,  Ferehatw  in  coelum,  capit.  ultimo*. 
This  mutation  of  place,  to  ascend  from  the  earth,  only 
his  human  nature  suffereth:  concerning  his  Godhead,  it  is 
every  where,  and  can  neither  ascend  nor  descend. 

Such  as  say  that  heaven  and  the  right  hand  of  God  is 
in  the  articles  of  our  faith  taken  for  God's  power  and  might, 
which  is  every  where,  they  do  wrong  to  the  scripture,  and 
unto  the  articles  of  our  faith.  They  make  a  confusion  of 
the  scripture,  and  leave  nothing  certain.  They  darken  the 
simple  and  plain  verity  thereof  with  intolerable  sophisms. 
They  make  heaven  hell,  and  hell  heaven,  turn  upside  down 
and  pervert  the  order  of  God.  If  the  heaven  and  God's 
right  hand,  whither  our  Saviour's  body  is  ascended,  be 
every  where,  and  noteth  no  certain  place,  as  these  uncertain 
men  teach ;  I  will  believe  no  ascension.  What  needeth  it  ?— 
seeing  Christ's  body  is  every  where  with  his  Godhead.  I 
will  interpretate  this  article  of  my  creed  thus:  Christus  as- 
cendit  ad  dextram  Patris.  Patris  dextra  est  uhique:  ergo 
Christus  ascendit  ad  ubiqueK  See  what  erroneous  doctrine 
followeth  their  imaginations  ! 

God^s  right       As  concerning  the  right  hand  of  God,  it  is  taken  some- 

bXSh       '        "^^^^^^     ^^''^^      firmament,  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord.  R. 
his  power.        ^  Praise  him  ye  heavens  above.    R.    |^Ps.  cxlviii.  4.^      »  His.  R. 
*  He  was  carried  up  into  heaven ;  in  the  last  chapter.  R. 
=  Christ  ascended  unto  the  right  hand  of  the  Father:  but  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father  is  every  where :  therefore  Christ  ascended  to  every 
where.  R. 


VIII.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


67 


time  for  God  himself  and  his  omnipotent  power.  Psa.  cxvii. 
Dextra  Domini  fecit  mrtutem,  Dextra  Domini  exaltmit  me^ 
Thus  his  right  hand,  taken  for  his  power,  it  is  every  where. 
But  it  is  not  so  taken,  when  we  say  Christ  sitteth  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  as  Mark  saith,  capit.  ultimo'',  and  as  Ste- 
phen said'^.  Acts  vii. :   Video  Jesum  stmtem  a  dextris  Dei". 
But  it  signifieth  a  certain  place  of  joy,  where  as  the  souls  of  ^^•j.^Yeoeen 
the  blessed  saints  rest.    Thither  hath  God  translated  the  s^ifiet^  m 
body  of  Christ  to  be  in  as  much  joy,  as  it  was  in  contempt 
here  in  the  earth,  as  Paul'^  saith,  Phil.  ii.    Sitting  thus  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  his  body  is  as  true  man  as  it  was 
upon  the  earth ;  and  in  length,  breadth,  and  weight,  as  phy- 
sical, mathematical,  and  natural  a  body,  as  it  was  hanging 
upon  the  cross. 

In  the  changing  of  mortal  qualities  the  humanity  of 
Christ  is  neither  destroyed  nor  changed  into  his  Deity; 
but  as  truly  as  his  Godhead,  concerning  his  essence,  cannot 
be  seen,  so  is  his  body,  wheresoever  it  be,  subject  unto 
the  judgment  of  the  senses.  And  as  he  that  maketh  a 
house  first  conceiveth  a  true  form  in  his  imagination,  and  yet 
the  imagination  nor  conceit  of  the  mind  is  not  materially 
the  house;  so  [the  conceit  of]'  such  as  dream  and  imagine 
a  certain  fantasy,  and  reduce  the  form  and  figure  of  a  true 
body  into  their  imagination,  is  not  a  true  body,  but  a  conceit 
or  imagination  of  a  body,  as  those  men  have,  that  say  Christ 
is  in  the  bread'"  and  with  the  bread,  yet  occupieth  it  no  place, 
nor  is  not  sensible.  This  is  a  wonderful  doctrine,  to  make 
that  glorious  body  of  Christ  to  be  a  true  body,  and  yet 
lacketh  all  the  quahties  and  quantities  of  a  body.  If  Christ 
could  have  such  a  dreaming  body,  as  they  speak  of,  yet 
may  I  not  believe  it  is  in  the  sacrament  corporally,  because 
Christ  saith,  Nolite  credere" 

And  where  they  would  better  the  matter  with  these 
words,  that  Christ  in  the  time  of  his  being  upon  the 
earth  did  many  things  above  the  natiure  of  a  body,  and  car- 

«  The  right  hand  of  the  Lord  hath  done  great  things.  The  right 
hand  of  the  Lord  hath  exalted  me.  Ps.  cxviii.  R. 

'  Saint  Mark  saith  the  last  chapter — Saint  Stephen  saith — Saint 
Paul.   R.  I  see  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  R. 

'  Supplied  from  R.  "  Christ's  body  is  in  the  bread.  R. 

"  Believe  them  not.  R. 

5—2 


6*8  A   DECLARATION  OF  Ip^' 

ried  his  body  sometime  invisible,  and  entered  the  house  of 
the  disciples,  the  gates  being  shut ;  they  prove  nothing,  only 
they  trouble  the  simple  conscience,  and  stablish  such  as  be 
more  addict  unto  the  writing  of  man,  than  unto  the  writ- 
ing of  God,  in  their  error.    Peter  walked  upon  the  water, 
yet  was  very  man  nothing  the  less:  so  it  pleased  God  to 
An  answer  use  his  creatures  to  his  glory.    Christ's  body  was  nothing 
objertion    changed,  although  sometimes,  for  fear  of  the  stones,  he 
gathered     conveyed  himself  out  of  the  way.    Though  his  disciples  knew 
ente'ri*n|in  not  how  he  entered,  the  doors  being  shut,  it  is  possible 
his^dis-^'^  *°  enough,  that  he  opened  the  doors,  and  yet  they  perceived 
doore'bring  it  not :  men's  eyes  be  obedient  unto  the  Creator,  that  they 
*  " '       may  see  one  thing,  and  yet  not  another.    The  scripture  so 
teacheth.    Those  ill  men,  that  would  have  done  villainy  unto 
the  angels  in  Loth's  house.  Gen.  xix.,  were  made  so  blind, 
they  could  not  find  the  next  door  to  them;  yet  bided 
Loth's  house  still  in  one  place.    The  same  may  ye  read, 
[2  Kings  vi.]  4  Reg.  vi.,  how  God  made  bhnd  the  Assyrians'  host,  so  that 
Elizeus  led  the  whole  army  into  the  city  of  Samarie.  Ba- 
laam saw  to  beat  his  ass,  and  yet  could  not  see  the  angel, 
that  the  ass  saw,  till  he  was  reprehended  by  the  angel, 
Num.  xxii.   Here  may  ye  see,  that  those  reasons  proveth  no- 
thing that  they  would,  Christ's  body  to  be^  in  the  sacrament, 
because  sometimes  he  would  not  be  seen  of  his  enemies. 

This  is  our  beUef,  that  Christ  is  very  man,  and  hke 
unto  his  brothers,  Heb.  ii.  Therefore,  wheresoever  his  body 
be,  it  must  have  the  qualities  and  quantities  of  a  true 
man.  If  his  body  be  corporally  in  the  sacrament,  and  yet 
without  all  properties  of  a  true  body,  this  text  is  false,  Ha- 
litu  inventus  ut  homo  ^;  hkewise  this,  Similis  est  fratribus  per 
omnia^  They  grant  that  only  the  spirit  of  man  eateth  the 
body  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament :  then  either  the  spirit  of 
man  is  turned  into  a  corporal  substance,  or  else  the  body  of 
Christ  loseth  his  corporal  substance,  and  is  become  a  spirit. 
For  it  is  not  possible  for  the  spirit  of  man  to  eat  corporally 
a  corporal  body,  no  more  than  he  that  studieth  the  scrip- 
ture, and  commendeth  the  contents  of  the  bible  to  his  me- 
mory, eateth  corporally  the  book :  but  by  the  help  of  God's 

^  Invisibly.  R.  ^  In  shape  he  was  found  as  a  man.  Phil.  2.  R. 
'  In  all  things  he  became  like  unto  his  brethren.   Heb.  ii.  R. 


VIII.] 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


69 


Spirit  and  his  own  diligence  he  eateth  the  effect,  marrow, 
and  doctrine  of  the  bible.  And  in  case  it  were  corporally 
and  substantially  with  paper  and  ink  in  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  yet  the  learned  man  may  comfort  himself,  and  teach 
the  mariners  in  the  ship  with  the  contents  thereof,  though 
the  corporal  bible  be  drowned.  So  in  the  sacrament  the 
christian  heart,  that  is  instructed  in  the  law  of  God,  and 
knoweth  the  right  use  of  the  sacraments  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  a  firm  faith  that  he  hath  in  the  merits  of 
Christ's  body  and  soul,  which  is  ascended  corporally  into  hea- 
ven, may  in  spirit  receive  the  effect,  marrow,  sweetness",  and 
commodity  of  Ohrisfs  precious  body,  though  it  never  de- 
scend corporally.  Thus  doth  faith  and  the  scripture  compel 
the  church  to  believe. 

When  they  say,  it  is  in  the  sacrament,  and  yet  moveth 
not  from  the  right  hand  of  God,  I  believe  not  their  saying, 
but  require  a  probation  thereof.  Ch*rist  hath  not  so  great 
a  body,  to  fill  heaven  and  earth  corporally;  Similis  est  fra- 
tribm,  perfectus  Dens  et  per/ectus  homo''.  They  make  him 
there,  and  yet  occupy  no  place:  then  it  is  no  body;  for  a 
true  body,  physical  and  mathematical,  as  Christ's  body  is, 
cannot  be,  except  it  occupy  place.  They  say,  I  must  be- 
heve,  and  say  with  the  Virgin,  Ecce  ancilla  Domini^;  I  may 
not  seek  to  know  the  means  how.  Well,  let  them  do  as 
much  to  me  in  this  matter,  as  was  done  unto  the  virgin 
Mary,  and  I  am  content.  She  could  not  comprehend  how 
Christ  was  made  man  in  her  belly :  yet  the  effect  and 
corporal  nativity  of  Christ  ascertained  both  her  reason  and 
senses,  that  she  had  borne  a  true  body.  It  shall  sufiice  me 
if  they  make  demonstration  unto  my  senses,  and  warrant  my 
reason,  that  they  have  present  a  corporal  body :  how  it 
Cometh,  and  by  what  means,  I  leave  that  unto  God.  But 
until  such  time  as  they  shew  me  that  glorious  and  perfect 
man's  body  of  Christ,  as  it  was  shewed  unto  the  blessed 
Virgin,  their  saying,  "  Believe,  believe,"  shall  not  come  into 
my  belief;  for  Christ  saith,  Nolite  credere'' 

*  Qheuen,  man  in  sprit  receaue  thefFect,  Marrye,  swetnys,  in  the 
original.] 

°  Corporally,  omitted  in  R.  He  is  like  unto  his  brethren;  [he  is 
perfect  God  and]  a  perfect  man.  R. 

«  Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord.    R.       '  Believe  them  not.  R. 


70 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


Of  Christ's  words  Marci  xiii.,  De  die  illo  nemo  scit,  "The 
moment  of  the  last  time  no  man  knoweth,  neither  the  Son  of 
God,"  inasmuch  as  he  is  man,  I  gather  this  argument  a  majori\ 
If  it  be  denied  Christ  concerning  his  manhood  to  know  the 
last  day,  much  more  to  be  every  where,  or  to  be  in  divers 
places  at  one  time,  is  denied  his  humanity:  for  it  is 
more  impossible  and  wonderful  to  be  every  where,  than  to 
know  many  things.  I  know  the  geographus'  conceiveth 
and  comprehendeth  all  the  world  in  his  head;  but  to  be 
in  all  places,  where  as  his  thoughts  and  spirit  is  occupied, 
it  is  impossible. 

Further,  Christ's  body  hath  not  lost  his  corporal  qualities; 
but  wheresoever  he  be  corporally,  there  is  he  with  all  quali- 
ties of  a  body,  and  not  without  qualities,  as  these  dreamers 
imagine.  I  will  not  judge  my  Saviour,  that  died  for  the  sin 
of  the  world,  to  have  a  body  in  heaven,  sensible  with  all 
qualities  of  true  man,  and  in  the  sacrament,  without  all  qualities 
and  quantities  of  a  true  body ;  but  abhor  and  detest  with 
the  scripture  this  opinion  as  an  heresy,  so  little  differing 
from  Marcion,  that  I  can  scarce  put  diversity. 

As  corporally  is  the  corporal  and  substantial  body  of 
all  England  in  the  head  of  him  that  describeth  by  map  or 
chart  the  whole  realm  in  Italy  or  otherwhere ;  so  corporally 
is  the  body  of  Christ  in  the  heart  of  the  Christian.  The 
conceit,  imagination,  or  form  conceived  of  England  is  not 
the  body,  matter,  nor  substance  itself  of  England :  no  more 
is  the  spiritual  conceit  of  Christ's  body  the  corporal  body 
itself.  Though  Avicen  and  Averrois''  would  prove  such  a 
conclusion,  yet  the  faith  of  our  religion  will  not  suffer  it*,  a 
fantastical  imagination  to  be  a  true  substance. 

To  say  that  Christ's  very*  natural  body  is  in  the  earth,  and 
yet  invisible,  it  is  to  destroy  the  body,  and  not  to  honour  the 
body.  Aristotle,  Lib.  v.,  Metaphysicorum,  cap.  22,  defineth 
what  invisible  is:  Imisibile  (inquitj  est  quod  mn  habef  omni- 

1  From  the  greater.    R.  ^  Describer  of  the  earth.  R. 

P  Avicenua  and  Averroes,  two  Arabian  philosophers  of  the  10th  and 
12th  centuries.  The  latter  translated  Aristotle  into  Arabic,  and  from 
his  commentaries  thereupon  was  called  the  Commentator.  For  the 
principles  held  by  his  disciples,  reference  may  be  made  to  the  last  council 
of  Lateran,  at  which  they  were  condemned.] 

^  It,  omitted  in  R.  «  Very— true.  R. 


VIII.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


71 


no  color em^.  Take  this  from  Christ's  body,  that  it  is  truly  in  the 
sacrament'  corporally,  and  yet  invisible,  is  to  say,  Christ  hath 
lost  all  the  colour,  shape,  and  form  of  his  humanity.  But  what 
shall  Aristotle  do  in  this  our  faith  ?  The  scripture  teacheth 
what  we  should  believe  :  Ascendit  ad  coelos,  sedet  ad  dexrtram 
Dei  Patris  Omnipotmtis ;  inde  venturm  est  judicare  vivos  ef 
mortuos",  Act.  i.  Mar.  ultimo,  Luc.  ultimo,  and  hath  left  us 
a  sacrament  of  his  blessed  body,  the  which  we  are  bound  to 
use  religiously  and  many  times,  to  exercise  and  stablish  our 
faith ;  and  he,  being  absent  corporally,  doth  communicate  by 
faith  in  spirit  that  most  precious  body,  and  the  merits  of  the 
same :  and  would  to  God  people  would  use  it  with  more  rever- 
ence and  more  awe",  as  the  scripture  teacheth,  with  true 
amendment  of  life,  and  firm  faith  ! 

I  put  out  a  book  in  September  last  past,  dedicated  to  my 
lord  of  Winchester'",  wherein  I  have  declared  all  my  faith 
concerning  this  blessed  and  holy  sacrament :  therefore  I  will 
pass  to  the  other  office  of  Christ's  priesthood. 


CAPUT  IX. 

[THE  NINTH  CHAPTER.] 

The  fourth  ofiice  of  Christ  is  to  consecrate  and  sanctify  The  fourth 

part  of 

these  that  believe  in  him.  He  is  not  only  holy  himself,  but 
maketh  holy  others  also;  as  he  saith,  John  xvii..  Pro  eis 

sanctifico  meipsum,  ut  sint  et  ipsi  sanctificati  per  veritatem^^ 

This  sanctification  is  none  other  but  a  true  knowledge  of  How  we  are 

sanctified. 

God  in  Christ  by  the  gospel,  that  teacheth  us  how  unclean  we 
are  by  the  sin  of  Adam,  and  how  that  we  are  cleansed  by 
Christ;  for  whose  sake  the  Father  of  heaven  doth  not  only 
remit  the  sins  wrought  willingly  against  the  word  of  God, 

'  That  is  invisible,  (quoth  he,)  which  hath  no  colour  at  all.  R. 

'  To  say  Christ's  body  is  truly  in  the  sacrament,  &c.,  it  is  to  say.  R. 

°  He  hath  ascended  into  heaven,  he  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God 
the  Father  Almighty,  from  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and 
the  dead.   R.  »  awght,  1547.  fear.  R. 

QAn  Answer  unto  my  Lord  of  Winchester's  book  entitled  "A  detec- 
tion," &c.  printed  at  Zurich,  1647.    See  the  next  work  in  this  volume.] 

"  For  their  sake  sanctify  I  myself,  that  they  also  may  be  sanctified 
through  the  truth.  R. 


72  A   DECLARATION   OF  [cH. 

but  also  the  imperfection  and  natural  concupiscence  which 
remaineth  in  every  man,  as  long  as  the  nature  of  man  is 
mortal.  How  the  Father  doth  sanctify  his  people,  the  prayer 
of  Christ  sheweth,  John  xvii.  Bmctifica  eos  per  veritatem 
tmm\  "sanctify  them  by  thy  word;"  purge  the[ir]  heart,  teach 
them,  hallow  them,  make  them  apt  for  thy  kingdom.  Where- 
with ?    With  thy  word,  which  is  everlasting  verity. 

The  means  to  sanctify  is  the  word  of  God,  the  Holy  Ghost, 
We  are  and  faith  that  receiveth  the  word  of  our  redemption.  So  doth 
only  by  the  Peter  say,  Acto.  xv..  Fide  purgari  corda  nostra^  Here  is  the 
Christ?^  cause  expressed,  whereby  we  accept  our  sanctification ;  by  faith, 
saith  Saint  Peter.  Saint  Paul,  1  Cor.  vi.,  sheweth  for  whose 
sake,  and  wherefore  we  are  sanctified  :  AUuti  estis,  sandificati 
estis,  jmtificati  estis,  per  nomen  Domini  Jesu,  per  Spiritum 
Dei  nostri\  for  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  operation  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  to  be  always  marked,  that  when 
Christ  had  prayed  his  Father  to  sanctify  his  church  by  his 
word,  and  by  his  holy  Spirit,  and  desired  him  to  preserve  them 
from  ill  for  his  mercy's  sake,  he  added  the  price,  the  merits, 
and  just  deserving  of  God's  graces,  and  said,  "  I  sanctify  myself 
for  them,  because  they  may  be  sanctified  by  the  truth."  He 
sanctified  himself  for  the  church,  when  he  died  for  the  detest- 
able uncleanness  and  filthiness  thereof,  more  stinking  and 
filthy  than  ever  was  the  abhorred  and  leprous  body  of  Lazarus. 
As  though  he  had  said,  "  Forasmuch  as  I  offer  and  submit 
myself  unto  the  bitter  and  cruel  pain  of  the  cross  for  the 
church,  thou  must,  most  holy  Father,  sanctify  them,  and 
accept  them  as  sanctified,  nourish  them,  love  them,  and 
defend  them,  for  the  price  and  satisfaction  of  my  death." 

What  a  consolation  is  this  for  every  troubled  conscience 
to  understand  !  Although  it  be  unworthy  of  remission  of  sin 
for  the  greatness  thereof,  yet  for  the  prayer  of  Christ  he  shall 
Christ  not  be  a  cast-away,  so  that  he  believe :  as  Christ  said,  he 
only  for"his  prayed  not  only  for  his  apostles,  but  also  for  as  many  as  should 
butaiso'for  beliove  his  word  till  the  world's  end.  As  many  as  will  be 
church.     gospellers,  as  they  love  the  gospel  and  their  own  salvation,  let 

*  Sanctify  them  by  thy  truth.  R. 
^  Our  hearts  are  purged  by  faith.  R. 

^  You  are  washed,  you  are  sanctified,  you  are  justified  by  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Spirit  of  our  God.  R. 


IX.] 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


73 


them  not  dally  and  play  with  it,  as  though  God  were  a  babe,  to 

be  pleased  with  a  fig  for  sin:  let  him  think  upon  the  most  Let aii 

vile  and  tyrannous  death  of  him,  that  only  was  able  to  cleanse  ^?™re  of 

us  from  sin,  and  from  hence  beware  of  sin.    It  sufiiceth,  as 

Paul  sEtith,  that,  "before  we  knew  the  truth,  to  live*  wantonly." 

1  Cor.  vi. 


CAPUT  X. 

[THE  TENTH  CHAPTER.] 

Of=  this  verity  and  truth,  that  the  gospel  teacheth  us  only 
to  be  sanctified  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  is  confuted  the  blasphe- 
mous pride  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  that  nameth  himself  the 
most  holy  father,  and  taketh  upon  him  to  sanctify  all  other 
men  of  the  earth,  as  God's  vicar  and  lieutenant,  to  absolve 
a  poena  et  a  culpa^,  to  pull  out  of  hell  and  send  to  heaven 
with  his  pardons,  masses,  and  other  abominations;  whereas 
Christ  only  and  solely  doth  sanctify,  as  it  appeareth,  John 
xvii.  Likewise'^  by  the  title  that  Pilate  gave  him,  hanging  upon 
the  cross,  with  these  words,  Jesm  Nazarenus  Bex  Judworum'. 
This  title  declareth  him  to  be  both  Messiah,  Saviour,  and 
Noser^,  the  protector  and  sanctifier  of  his  church,  as  Matth. 
saith,  chap,  ii.,  Nazarcem  vocabitur'^° 

This  office  of  Christ  doth  abrogate  all  other  things  that 
man's  constitutions  attribute  any  holiness  unto,  as  bewitched 
water,  candles,  boughs,  or  any  such  ethnick  superstition":  for 
only  Christ  sanctifieth,  and  all  holiness  we  must  attribute  unto 
him,  as  John  said,  Ecce  agnm  Dei,  qui  tollit  peccata  mmdi 
John  i.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  to  say,  destined  and 
appointed  by  God  to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  and  to 
sanctify  his  church. 

*  We  lived.   R.  '  Out  of.  R. 

"  Both  from  the  punishment  and  the  fault.  R. 

Soly  dooth  sanctifi  ce  as  it  apperyd  Joan.  17.  lik  wice,  in  the 
original.]  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  King  of  the  Jews.  R. 

Noser,  'y^n.    See  Numb.  vi.  2,  and  Judges  xiii.  5.,  &c.] 
He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarite.  R. 
[11  — ony  holynis  unto  as  be  wychyd  water  CandeUis  bowes  or  ony 
souch  Ethnick  supersticion,  in  the  original.]  ony — onely.  R. 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world.  R. 


74  A   DECLARATION  OF  [cH. 

Tiieexter-       Although  baptism  be  a  sacrament  to  be  received  and 
ml^T'   honourably  used  of  all  men,  yet  it  sanctifieth  no  man.  And 
doth  not     such  as  attribute  the  remission  of  sin  unto  the  external  sign, 
our  sins?"'' doth  ofFend.    John,  Matth.  iii.,  preached  penitence'  in  the 
desert,  and  remission  of  sin  in  Christ.    Such  as  confessed 
their  faults,  he  marked  and  declared  them  to  be  of  Christ's 
church.    So  that  external  baptism  was  but  an  inauguration  or 
external  consecration  of  these,  that  first  believed  and  were 
cleansed  of  their  sin,  as  he  declareth  himself  in  the  same 
place:  Bgo  (inquit)  haptizo  aqua:  I  christen^  with  water. 
As  though  he  said,  My  baptism  maketh  no  man  the  better : 
inwardly,  it  changeth  no  man :  but  I  call  and  preach  to  the 
outward  ear,  I  exhort  unto  penance' ;  and  such  as  say  they 
do  repent,  and  would  change  the'  old  sinful  life,  I  wash  with 
water.    He  that  inwardly  cleanseth,  is  stronger  than  I.  His 
grace  it  is  only,  that  purifieth  the  soul.    I  baptize  in  penance, 
to  say*,  into  a  new  life. 
What  it  is        This  new  fife  cometh  not,  until  such  time  as  Christ  be 

to  put  on  .     1       nT  /^i   •      •  !• 

Christ.  known  and  received.  Now,  to  put  on  Christ  is  to  live  a 
new  life.  Such  as  be  baptized  must  remember,  that  penance^ 
and  faith  preceded'  this  external  sign,  and  in  Christ  the 
purgation  was  inwardly  obtained,  before  the  external  sign  was 
Baptism  is  given.  So  that  there  is  two  kinds  of  baptism,  and  both 
necessary :  the  one  interior,  which  is  the  cleansing  of  the 
heart,  the  drawing  of  the  Father,  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost:  and  this  baptism  is  in  man,  when  he  believeth  and 
trusteth  that  Christ  is  the  only  author  of  his  salvation. 
Thus  be  the  infants  examined  concerning  repentance  and 
faith,  before  they  be  baptized  with  water;  at  the  contemplation 
of  the  which  faith,God  purgeth  the  soul".  Then  is  the  exterior 
sign  added,  not  to  purge  the  heart,  but  to  confirm,  manifest, 
and  open  unto  the  world  that  this  child  is  God's. 

And  likewise  baptism,  with  the  repetition  of  the  words,  is  a 
very  sacrament  and  sign,  that  the  baptized  creature  should  die 
from  sin  all  his  life,  as  Paul  writeth,  Rom.  vi.  Likewise  no  man 
should  condemn  nor  neglect  this  exterior  sign,  for  the  command- 
ment's sake :  though  it  have  no  power  to  purge  from  sin, 

^  Repentance.   R.  ^  Baptize.  R. 

^  Their.   R.  *  To  repentance,  that  is  to  say.  R. 

'  "Went  before.   R.  ["  God  purchith  tha  soule,  in  the  original.] 


two-fold. 


X.] 


CHRIST  AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


75 


yet  it  confirmeth  the  purgation  of  sin,  and  the  act  of  itself 
pleaseth  God,  for  because  the  receivers  thereof  obey  the  will  of 
his  commandment. 

Like  as  the  king's  majesty,  that  now  is,  immediately  after  An  apt  simi- 
the  death  of  his  father,  was  the  true  and  legitimate^  king  of 
England,  right  heir  unto  the  crown,  and  received  his  corona- 
tion, not  to  make  himself  thereby  king,  but  to  manifest  that 
the  kingdom  appertained  unto  him  before.  He  taketh  the 
crown  to  confirm  his  right  and  title.  Had  all  England  said 
nay,  and  by  force,  contrary  unto  God''s  laws  and  man's  laws, 
with  an  exterior  ceremony  and  pomp,  crowned  any  other  man, 
he  should  have  been  an  adulterous  and  wrong  king,  with  all  his 
solemnities  and  coronation.  Though  this  ceremony  confirm 
and  manifest  a  king  in  his  kingdom,  yet  it  maketh  not  a  king, 
but  the  laws  of  God  and  of  the  land,  that  giveth  by  succession 
the  right  of  the  kingdom  to  the  old  king's  first  heir  male  in 
England  and  other  realms.  And  the  babe  in  the  cradle  hath  as 
good  right  and  claim,  and  is  as  true  a  king  in  his  cradle  un- 
crowned^, as  his  father  was,  though  he  reigned  a  crowned  king 
forty  years.  And  this  right  of  the  babe  should  be  defended  and 
manifested,  not  only  by  the  ceremony  of  coronation,  but  with  all 
obedience  and  true  subjection. 

So  is  it  in  the  church  of  Christ :  man  is  made  the  brother 
of  Christ,  and  heir  of  eternal  life  by  God's  only  mercy  received 
by  faith,  before  he  receive  any  ceremony  to  confirm  and  mani- 
fest openly  his  right  and  title.  He  saith,  he  believeth  in  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  believeth  (he  saith) 
the  remission  of  sin  ;  doth  not  only  deny  the  devil,  the  world, 
and  sin,  but  saith  he  will  forsake  him  for  ever,  and  serve  his 
master,  the  Lord  of  virtue.  King  of  heaven  and  earth.  Thus 
assured  of  God,  and  cleansed  from  sin  in  Christ,  he  hath  the 
livery  of  God  given  unto  him,  baptism,  the  which  no  Christian 
should  neglect ;  and  yet  not  attribute  his  sanctification  unto 
the  external  sign.  As  the  king's  majesty  may  not  attribute  his 
right  unto  the  crown,  but  unto  God  and  unto  his  father,  who 
hath  not  only  given  him  grace  to  be  born  into  the  world,  but 
also  to  govern  as  a  king  in  the  world ;  whose  right  and  title 
the  crown  confirmeth,  and  sheweth  the  same  unto  all  the  world. 
Where  as  this  right  by  God  and  natural  succession  precedeth' 

'  Lawful.   R.       '  Crowned.    R.      *  Goeth  not  before.  R. 


76 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


not  the  coronation,  the  ceremony  availeth  nothing.  A  traitor 
may  receive  the  crown,  and  yet  [a]'  true  king  nothing  the 
rather.    So  an  hypocrite  and  fan]'  infidel  may  receive  the 
external  sign  of  baptism,  and  yet  no  christian  man  nothing 
the  rather;  as  Simon  Magus  and  other. 
Sacraments      Sacraments  must  be  used  holily,  and  yet  not  to  have  the 
ufedhoiiiy,  office  of  Christ  added  unto  them.    Solely  it  is  his  office  to 
tohZvethe  sanctify  and  purge  from  sin.    I  take  nothing  from  the  sacra- 
christ°given  ments,  but  honour  them  and  extol  them  in  all  things,  as  they 
uno  em.       ^Qj-^^y .  howbeit  not  too  much.    I  call  a  sacrament  a 
ceremony  instituted  in  the  law  of  God  to  this  end,  that  it 
should  be  a  testimony  of  God's  promise  unto  all  such  as 
believe,  and  signs  of  God's  good  will  and  favour  towards  us. 
As  Paul  saith,  that  Abraham  received  a  testimony,  by  the 
which  God  testified  that  he  was  received  into  grace,  Eom.  iv. 
And  as  the  promise  of  God,  the  remission  of  sin,  is  received  by 
faith ;  so  must  these  sacraments,  that  be  signs,  tokens,  and 
testimonies  of  the  promise,  be  received  in  faith^    Thus  by 
Christ  we  are  sanctified  only ;  and  as  Peter  saith,  "A^  people 
chosen,  a  princely  priesthood,  a  holy  people,  and  peculiar  nation, 
to  declare  the  power  of  him  that  hath  called  us  from  the  dark- 
mat  our    ness  of  error  and  sin  into  his  wonderful  light."     These  words 
when  we  are  declare  the  manner  how  we  are  sanctified,  and  what  our  office 

sanctified     .      „  ,  -c    -i  ■>     ^  i>  ^  •       ■\  ■, 

in  Christ,  ig  after  we  be  sanctified ;  to  preach  the  power  of  him  that  hath 
called  us  from  the  darkness  of  sin :  as  it  is  wroten,  Esa.  xliii., 
Populum  istum  formam  mih%  ut  laudem  meam  annunciet* ; 
and  likewise  chap.  Ixvi.  The  prophets  and  apostles  doth 
use  many  times  this  word,  "  anmnciare^''  pro  "  laudare,^''  et 
gratias  agere^ y  So  doth  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi..  Mortem  Domini 
annunciahitis,  donee  veniat;  "ye  shall  shew  the  death  of  the 
Lord  until  he  come :"  id  est,  ye  shall  celebrate  the  death  of 
Christ  with  all  praises  and  giving  of  thanks. 

Such  as  be  sanctified  by  Christ,  must  live  an  honest  and 
holy  life,  or  else  his  sanctification  availeth  not.  As  God 
forsook  the  children  of  Israel  for  sin,  so  will  he  do  us. 
They  were  elected  to  be  his  people  with  this  condition.  Si 

^  Supplied  from  R. 

^  Of  his  promise,  be  received  by  faith.  R.    '  The,  1547. — (A).  R. 
*  This  people  have  I  formed  for  myself,  they  shall  shew  forth  my 
praise.  R.  ^  "To  tell  forth"  for  "to  praise  and  give  thanks."  R. 


X.] 


CHKIST  AND    HIS  OFFICE. 


77 


audiendo  audieris  vocem  meam,  et  cusfodieris  pactum  meum, 
eritis  mihi  in  peculiwm  de  cunctis  populis^,  Exod.  xix.  He 
that  favoured  not  the  Israelites,  but  took  cruel  vengeance  upon 
them,  because  they  walked  not  in  their  vocation,  will  do,  and 
doth  daily  the  same  unto  us,  Rom.  xi.  Therefore,  one  of  these 
two  we  must  needs  do,  that  say  we  be  justified  and  sanctified  in 
Christ :  either  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts  amend,  or  else  be 
eternally  lost  with  all  our  ghostly  knowledge.  For  the  axe  is 
put  to  the  root  of  the  tree.  So  far  is  the  malice  of  man  pro- 
ceeded, that  the  ire  of  God  can  be  no  longer  deferred.  A  great 
time  hath  the  gospel  been  known  of  many  men,  yet  the  hfe  of 
the  gospel  as'  new  to  seek,  as  though  it  were  but  now  begun. 

Therefore  see  we,  how  God  beginneth  again  to  permit  the  Mark  this 
darkness  of  error  to  overwhelm  the  world.  Such  blindness  ever  dUigentiy. 
followeth  the  contempt  of  God's  word  and  the  unthankful  re- 
ceiving thereof.  Therefore,  as  we  be  sanctified  by  Christ,  so 
let  us  bear  him  and  sanctify  him  in  our  breasts,  or  else  we 
perish,  Rom.  vi.  For  faith  intendeth  and  always  maketh 
haste  unto  this  port,  as  Paul  saith.  Tit.  ii.,  Ut  sancte,  Juste, 
ac  pie  mmmus^. 

Men  knoweth  not  what  the  gospel  is.  They  read  it  as  they 
read  Beuis  of  Hampton',  or  the  gestes  of  Robin  Hode'",  If 
they  may  know  what  the  scripture  saith,  they  judge  it  suffi- 
cient; whereas  it  is  clean  contrary.     Men  should  not  only  we  must 

not  only 

read  the  scripture  to  be  wiser,  but  to  be  better.    We  bear  the  read  the 

^  '  scripture  to 

name  of  Christ,  and  confess  him.    We  must  therefore  be  those  be  the  wiser, 

'  but  also  to 

persons  in  whose  life  the  steps  of  Christ  must  appear",  or  else  ^e^the 
we  blaspheme  our  Master,  whose  name  we  bear,  Rom.  vi.  xiii. 
Because  after  baptism  we  should  live  a  modest  and  temperate 
life,  Christ  departed  into  the  desert,  and  fasted,  making  this 
answer  unto  the  devil.  If  on  in  solo  pane  mvit  homo^^.  Man  is 
not  created  to  the  fond  pleasures  of  the  world,  but  to  regard 
what  the  will  of  God  requireth. 

*  If  in  hearing  ye  will  hear  my  voice  and  keep  my  covenant,  ye 
shall  be  unto  me  a  peculiar  people.    R.  '  is.  R. 

*  That  we  may  live  holily,  justly,  and  godly.  R. 

Sir  Bevis  of  Southampton. 

Sir  Bevis  of  renown, 
The  right  heir  of  South-Hamptoun. 
See  Ellis's  Specimens  of  early  English  Metrical  Romances,  Vol.  ii.] 
[}"  Gestes,  1547.   Jestes.   R.    The  deeds  of  Robin  Hood,  gesta.'] 
Persones  in  whois  liefF  the  stappes  of  Christ  must  appere,  in  the 
original.]  Man  liveth  not  by  bread  only.  R. 


78 


A   DECIiAEATlON  OF 


They  deceive  themselves,  that  trust  to  faith,  where  as 
honesty  of  life  foUoweth  not.  Faith  is  mistress'  in  the  soul 
of  the  Christian,  and  entertaineth  no  such  servants  as  be  adul- 
terers, thieves,  slanderers,  drunkards,  covetous  persons,  swear- 
ers, ill  and  unoccupied  raveners  of  the  meat  of  the  poor  :  but 
charity,  peace,  temperancy,  prayer,  liberality,  and  flying  the 
occasion  of  ill.    2  Pet.  i.  James  ii.  1  Cor.  xii. 


CAPUT  XI. 

[THE  ELEVENTH  CHAPTER.] 

As  the  scripture  teacheth  Christ  to  be  the  very  true  Priest 
and  Bishop  [of]'  the  church,  [which] ^  prayeth  for  the  church, 
satisfieth  the  ire  of  God  for  the  sin  of  the  church,  and  only 

only  our 

°  sanctifieth  the  church :  so  doth  it  prove  Christ  to  be  the 

also  our 

King,  Emperor,  and  Protector  of  the  church,  and  that  by 
the  office  and  property  of  a  king,  that  defendeth  his  subjects, 

fendeth  his 

not  only  by  his  godly  laws,  but  also  by  force  and  civil  re- 

by^ower 

sistance,  as  the  enemies  of  his  commonwealth  shall  minister 
ws  laws.'''^  occasion.  By  those  two  means  every  commonwealth  is  pre- 
served, as  the  scripture  teacheth ;  princes  christened  and  eth- 
nicks'— Aristotle  in  his  politics,— Justinian  in  the  Prooeme  of 
his  Institutions, — the  scripture  everywhere. 

Pharaoh,  that  would  this  church  of  God  and  commonwealth 
of  the  Israelites  to  be  destroyed,  was  lost  and  all  his  army 
in  the  sea.  The  idolaters,  that  would  make  the  common- 
wealth of  Christ's  church  one  with  the  commonwealth  of  Egypt, 
were  destroyed. 

Such  as  rebelled,  Koreh  and  [the] 2  Rubenites,  against  the 
governors  of  God's  church,  Moses  and  Aaron,  were  destroyed 
with  the  artillery  of  God's  ire.  All  the  princes  and  nations 
that  possessed  the  land  of  Chanaan,  God  destroyed,  to  set  his 
commonwealth  in  an  order. 

In  the  latter  days,  when  the  King  of  this  commonwealth 
should  be  born,  the  angel  declared  unto  the  blessed  Virgin, 
of  what  puissance  and  power  this  kingdom  of  Christ  should 
be :  RegnaUt,  inquit,  in  domo  Jacob  in  wternum,  et  regm  ejus 

>  Faith  is  matres,  1547.    A  matron.   R.  Supplied  from  R. 

Pnnces  christian  and  heathen.  R. 


XI.} 


CHRIST    AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


79 


non  erit  Jinis*.  Luke  i.  Although  now  the  commonwealth  of  the 

church  hath  no  certain  place  appointed  where  it  shall  remain, 

as  it  was  appointed  in  the  old  law ;  yet  certain  we  be,  that  this 

kingdom  of  Christ  remaineth  upon  the  earth,  and  shall  do, 

till  the  earth  be  burned.  Matt.  xvi.  xxviii.  1  Cor.  xv.    How- chrf^^t 

beit,  as  Christ  won  and  obtained  this  kingdom  in  the  latter  i^^'s^  ^.^j^ 

days  without  shield  or  spear;  so  doth  he  preserve  it  with  his  ^*™p*o„s^ 

holy  Spirit,  and  not  with  carnal  weapons.     As  Christ  said 

unto  Pilate,  John  xviii. :  Begnwm  meum  non  est  de  hoc  mmdo^ ; 

meaning,  that  he  would  not  reign  in  this  world,  as  a  prince 

of  this  world,  with  pomp  and  pride ;  but  defend  his  people 

with  his  holy  Spirit,  that  the  devil,  neither  the  world  should 

not  break  their  patience,  though  many  afflictions  and  sorrows 

should  fight  against  them  for  the  truth's  sake.    Christ  doth 

not  deny  to  be  the  King  of  the  world  before  Pilate,  but  that 

he  meant  not  to  reign  worldly,  to  the  hindrance  and  defacing 

of  the  emperor's"  dignity  and  title,  as  the  Jews  falsely  accused 

him.  As  Cyrillus'^,  Lib.  xii.  cap.  10,  in  Johannem,  saith:  and 

so  is  the  mind  of  Saint  Augustine"  in  the  same  place. 

This  kingdom  is  spiritual.     Christ  sitting  at  the  right  Christ's 

,-„-,,,_,,'■  ,„  ,      ,  .7      kingdom  is 

hand  oi  Cxod  the  Jb  ather  prayeth  lor  us,  giveth  us  remission  spiritual, 
of  sin,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  fight  and  overcome  the  world ; 
hath'  left  here  in  the  church  his  gospel,  the  only  weapon  to 
fight  withal  for  the  time  of  this  mortal  life,  John  xvii.,  where 
he  defineth  life  everlasting  to  be  the  knowledge  of  God.  So 
doth  Paul,  Rom.  viii.,  prove  this  kingdom  to  be  spiritual; 
and  that'"  concerning  the  body  it  appeareth,  that  Christ  de- 

*  He  shall  reign  (quoth  he)  in  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever,  and  of 
his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end.  R. 

^  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  R. 
Temperours,  1547.    Temporal.  R. 

Q  Liberavit  a  formidine  Pilatum  Christus  autem  Pilato  re- 

spondens  regem  se  esse  non  negat :  mentiri  enim  non  poterat.  Sed  regno 
Caesaris  non  esse  hostem  ostendit ;  quia  principatus  suus  mundanus  non 
est,  sed  coeli,  terrae,  ceterarumque  rerum  omnium,  &c.  Cyrilli  Op.  Par. 
1573,  Co.  1002.] 

Q°  Dixit  itaque  ei  Pilatus,  Ergo  rex  es  tu  ?  Respondit  Jesus,  Tu  dicis 
quia  rex  sum  ego.  Non  quia  regem  se  timuit  confiteri;  sed  "  Tu  dicis"  ita 
libratum  est,  ut  neque  se  regem  neget,  (rex  est  enim  cujus  regnum  non 
est  de  hoc  mundo,)  neque  regem  talem  se  esse  fateatur  cujus  regnum 
patitur  esse  de  hoc  mundo,  &c.  Aug.  Op.  Basil.  1542.  Tom.  ix.  Co.  540. 
Tract,  cxv.  De  Evan.  Joan.  cap.  19.]  '  He  hath.  R. 

"  Though  as.  R. 


80 


A   DECLARATION  OF 


[CH. 


The  estate 
of  the 
church  in 
this  world. 


To  be  a 
magistrate 
in  tne 
church  of 
Christ  is  a 
great 
charge. 


fendeth  not  his  people,  because  they  live  in  such  disdain  and 
adversity,  but  hereafter  it  shall  appear,  as  Paul  saith.  Col.  iii., 
and  John,  1  John  iii. :  Nunc  filii  Dei  sumus,  sed  nondmn 
mani/estum  est  quales  erimus' 

This  kingdom  shall  be  ever  persecuted  till  the  world's  end. 
Psal.  ii.  cxv.  Ixxi.  Esay  the  prophet  described  the  church  of 
this  present  life^,  saying :  Dahit  vohis  Dominus  panem  arctum, 
et  aquam  exigucm,  et  non  auferet  a  te  ultra  doctor  em  tuwm^, 
cap.  XXX.  Thus  the  church  shall  remain,  but  always  in  affliction. 
I  know  such  as  favoureth  not  the  truth,  will  interpretate  my 
words,  that  I  condemn  all  princes  and  kings,  as  enemies  of 
the  gospel,  because  they  peaceably  enjoy  their  kingdoms.  So 
I  wish  them  always  to  do"*,  with  hearty  prayer  to  the  glory 
[of]  °  God.  But  of  this  one  thing  I  will  assure  every  prince  of 
the  world :  the  more  sincere  he  is  in  the  cause  of  God,  the 
more  shall  be  his  cross. 

I  report  me  unto  the  king's  majesty,  that  dead  is,  which 
at  the  first  brunt,  as  soon  as  he  took  God's  cause  in  hand, 
that  leopard  and  dragon  of  Eome  did  not  only  solicitate  the 
whole  foreign  world  against  him;  but  also  he  suffered  such 
an  ungodly  and  detestable  insurrection  of  his  popish  subjects, 
and  other  more  crosses,  that  never  should  have  been  moved, 
had  he  not  unquieted  the  beast  of  her  rest,  that  sat  above 
his  majesty,  and  God  also,  in  his  own  realm. 

They  be  flatterers  of  princes,  that  say  every  thing  may 
be  ruled  with  ease  :  they  consider  not  what  an  enemy  of  God's 
order  the  devil  is,  that  would  not  only  the  gospel  of  truth 
to  be  oppressed,  but  also  every  prince  that  studieth  the  pre- 
ferment and  setting  forth  of  God's  word.  The  devil  never 
ceaseth  to  molest  and  unquiet  every  godly  politic  and  common- 
wealth. Were  there  no  scripture  divine  to  detect  the  art'  of 
the  devil,  Aristotle  in  the  fifth  book  of  his  Politics  were  suffi- 
cient to  manifest  the  devil's  enmity  against  all  commonwealths. 

Further,  the  nature  of  man  is  infirm,  and  far  unable  to 


1  Now  we  be  the  sons  of  God,  yet  it  appeareth  not  what  we  shaU 
be.  R. 

^  The  state  of  the  church  in  this  present  life.  R. 
'  The  Lord  shaU  give  you  the  bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water  of 
affliction ;  and  he  will  no  more  take  from  thee  thy  instruction.  R. 
*  Always  so  to  do.   R.  =  Supplied  from  R. 

°  No  holy  scripture  to  detect  the  heart.  R. 


XI.] 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


81 


sustain  the  office  of  any  vocation,  be  it  political,  ecclesias- 
tical, or  domestical,  without  a  singular  aid  of  God.  We  see 
by  Saul,  that  noble  man,  who  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign 
did  many  noble  acts,  yet  the  devil  got  the  victory  in  the  end. 
His  successor  David  was  likewise  so  entangled  in  the  snares 
of  the  devil,  that  with  much  pain  he  could  quit^  himself  from 
the  witched  coup^  that  the  devil  had  once  brought  him  good 
luck  of.  Howbeit,  God  defended  both  him  and  his  king- 
dom, so  that  not  only  the  preachers,  but  also  he  himself, 
taught  the  word  of  God  unto  the  people,  as  he  had  promised. 
Psal.  vi.  1. 

God  preserveth  above  human  reason  his  ministers,  as  he 
did  Jacob  from  the  hands  of  Esau,  David  from  Saul,  Daniel 
from  the  lions,  and  Paul'"  in  the  ship,  where  as  no  human  hope 
of  salvation  was  at  all,  but  only  the  protection  of  God.  Those 
examples  declare,  that  he  doth  defend  his  people  against  all 
the  world  by  his  mighty  power. 

Likewise  he  governeth  this  church  with  his  only  laws, 
and  would  his  subjects  to  know  him,  to  honour  him,  and  to 
obey  him,  as  he  hath  commanded  in  his  law.  Paul  express- 
eth  this  law,  Rom.  i. :  Evangelium  virtus  Dei  est  in  salutem 
omni  credenti.  Marci  ultimo :  Proedicate  evangelium  omni 
creatur(B^\  The  only  law  whereunto  this  congregation  is 
bound,  is  the  gospel,  as  Christ  saith,  John  xiv.  Spiritus  Sanc- 
tus  docebit  vos  omnia,  et  rediget  vobis  in  memoriam  omnia 
quae  ego  dixi  vohis^"^  Here  Christ  bindeth  the  apostles  and 
all  the  church  unto  the  things  that  he  had  taught  them. 

This  commonwealth  of  the  true  church  is  known  by  these  Two  special 
two  marks ;  the  pure  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  the  right  know  the 
use  of  the  sacraments.    Thus  proveth  Paul,  Eph.  ii.,  that  by. 
the  church  is  bound  unto  the  word  of  God :  Super  funda- 
mentvm  apostolorum  et  proplietarum  extrudi  estis^^  Likewise, 

'  Could  scarcely  quit.   R.  *  Witched  snare.  R. 

"  Onsbrowght  hym  god  Luk  of.    1547.    Brought  him  into.  R. 
Saint  Paul.  R.   [N.B.  Rosdell  frequently  prefixes  the  word  Saint 
where  it  does  not  occur  in  ed.  1647.] 

"  The  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that 
believeth.  Mark,  the  last :  Preach  you  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  R. 

The  Holy  Spirit  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to 
your  remembrance  which  I  have  said  unto  you. 

You  are  builded  upon  thefoundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets.  R. 

[lIOOPEE.J 


82  A  DECLARATION   OP  [<^H. 

Esa.  lix. :  Spiritus  mens  qui  est  in  te,  et  verba  mea  qxh(B  po- 
sui  in  ore  tuo,  non  recedent  ab  ore  tuo,  nee  ah  ore  seminis  tui 
in  wteriium\ 

Of  the  right  use  of  sacraments  it  is  taught,  1  Cor.  xi.  Mar. 
ult.  Luc.  ult.  and  Matt.  ult.  Such  as  teacheth^  people  to  know 
Jfminand        church  by  these  signs,  [namely]'  the  traditions  of  men, 
of  bishops         the  succession  of  bishops,  teach  wrong.    Those  two  false 
Hbie'^tokens  Opinions  hath  given  unto  the  succession  of  bishops  power  to 
teuediurih  interpretate  the  scripture,  and  power  to  make  such  laws  in  the 
church  as  it  pleased  them.    There  is  no  man  hath  power  to 
interpretate  the  scripture.    God,  for  the  preservation  of  his 
-  church,  doth  give  unto  certain  persons  the  gift  and  knowledge 
to  open  the  scripture;  but  that  gift  is  no  power  bound* 
to  any  order,  succession  of  bishops,  or  title  of  dignity.  The 
princes  of  the  earth  doth  give  always  such  power  of  civil  jus- 
tice by  succession  :  as  one  is  chief  justice  for  the  time  of  his 
office,  to  do  every  thing  appertaining  unto  the  same,  so  hath 
always  his  successor  the  like. 

God  hath  given  the  civil  magistrates  power  and  autho- 
rity to  make  such  laws  for  the  commonwealth,  as  shall  be 
agreeable  with  reason  and  not  against  God's  law;  and  like- 
wise power  to  interpretate  the  same  laws.  But  this  is  not 
to  be  admitted  in  the  church,  unto  whom  God  hath  given 
the  gospel,  and  interpretated  the  same  by  his  only  Son ;  taught 
the  meaning  and  contents  thereof  himself. 
Imco"-^  To  know  God  and  his  ire  against  sin,  the  greatness  of 
lawlnd*^  sin,  the  justice^  given  in  Christ,  the  fear  of  God,  the  faith 
word  of  jjig  promises,  the  persecution  of  his  members,  the  aid  and 
help  of  God  in  adversity,  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  where 
and  what  the  true  church  is ;  of  everlasting  life ;  of  the  two 
natures  in  Christ ;  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
G  host :  these  be  [the] '  contents  of  the  law  whereunto  God 
hath  bound  his  church,  and  commanded  her  to  hear  his  Son 
concerning  the  interpretation  of  these  points.  And  at  the 
commandment  of  Christ  the  apostles  were  sent  to  preach  these 
verities  in  the  Spirit  of  God.    It  is  therefore  necessary  to 

^  My  spirit  which  is  in  thee,  and  my  words  which  I  have  put  in 
thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  from  thy  mouth,  nor  from  the  mouth  of  thy 
seed  for  ever.    R.  ^  Teach  the.  R. 

^  Supplied  from  R.      *  Is  not  bound.  R.      «  Righteousness.  R. 


XI.J 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


83 


retain  in  the  church  the  doctrine  given  unto  us  by  the  apostles, 
and  to  be  the  disciples  of  their  doctrine,  and  not  to  feign 
interpretations  of  our  own  heads  contrary  unto  their  doctrine. 

Such  as  will  be  the  members  of  this  church,  must  be  a 
disciple  of  the  gospel,  and  learn,  in  fear  and  humbleness  of 
spirit,  the  articles  of  our  religion,  as  they  be  taught  there, 
and  not  stand  unto  the  judgment  of  any  man,  whatsoever  he 
be,  though  he  say  truth.  For  his  truth  is  nothing,  except 
the  authority  of  God's  word  contain  the  said  truth. 

It  is  a  great  confirmation  of  our  faith,  when  we  see  such 
as  were  godly  persons  before  us  interpretate  the  scripture,  and 
use  the  sacraments,  as  we  do.  As  when  the  heresy  of  Samo- 
satenus"  troubled  the  christian  brothers,  that  said,  this  word, 
Verbum,  in  John,  In  principio  erat  verhum?^  did  not  signify 
any  person  nor  substance  divine ;  they  were  confirmed  by  the 
testimony  of  Ireneus,  that  heard  Polycarpus",  John  the  Evan- 
gelist's disciple,  interpretate  Verbnm^  [the  word] in  the  gospel, 
for  the  Son  of  God,  second  Person  in  Trinity.  Though  we  be 
bound  to  hear  the  church,  to  say,  the  true  and  faithful 
preachers  of  God's  word,  as  was  in  this  case  Polycarpus  and 
Ireneus ;  notwithstanding  our  faith  is  not  grounded  upon  the 
authority  of  the  church,  but  in  and  upon  the  voice  of  the 
gospel.  We  pray  and  invocate  the  Son  of  God,  second  Per- 
son in  Trinity,  because  the  scripture  proveth  him  to  be  God : 
Deus  erat  verhwm^  [John  i.]^;  also,  Pater  mens  usque  modo 
operatur,  et  ego  operor.  Sine  me  nihil  potestis  facere.  Item, 
Domine  Jesu,  accipe  Spiritum  meum^". 

The  adversaries  of  the  truth  defend  many  a  false  error  The  title 
under  the  name  of  the  holy  church :  therefore  these  treasons  the  church 
and  secret  conspiracies  must  be  taken  heed  of ;  and  when  the  adveZ 
the  church  is  named,  diligently  to  consider,  when  the  articles 
they  would  defend  were  accepted  of  the  church,  by  whom, 
and  who  was  the  author  of  them.    Leave  not,  till  the  matter 
be  brought  unto  the  first,  original,  and  most  perfect  church 

Euseb.  Ecclea.  Hist.  Lib.  v.  cap.  xxviii.] 
'  In  the  beginning  was  the  word.  R. 
P  See  Euseb.  Eccles.  Hist.  Lib.  v.  cap.  xx.] 
*  The  word  was  God.  R. 

^"  My  Father  worketh  still,  and  I  work.    Without  me  ye  can  do 
nothing.    Also,  O  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  R. 

6—2 


84 


A    DECLAKATION  OF 


of  the  apostles.  If  thou  find  by  their  writings,  that  their 
church  used  the  thing  that  the  preacher  would  prove,  then 
accept  it;  or  else,  not.  Be  not  amazed,  though  they  speak 
of  never  [soj '  many  years,  nor  name  never  so  many  doctors. 
Christ  and  his  apostles  be  grandfathers  in  age  to  the  doc- 
tors and  masters  in  learning.  Repose  thyself  only  [upon]' 
the  church  that'  they  have  taught  thee  by  the  scripture. 
Fear  neither  oP  the  ordinary  power  or  succession  of  bishops, 
nor  of  the  greater  part.  For  if  either  the  authority  of 
bishops,  or  the  greater  part,  should  have  power  to  interpre- 
tate  the  scripture,  the  sentence  of  the  Pharisees  should  have 
been  preferred  before  the  sentence  of  Zachary,  Simeon, 
EHzabeth,  or  the  blessed  Virgin.  Consider,  that  many  time* 
the  true  church  is  but  a  small  congregation,  as  Esay  saith, 
Nisi  Deus  reliquisset  nobis  semen,  sicut  Sodoma  essemus\ 
Therefore  is  not  the  interpretation  of  the  scripture  obligated 
unto  an*^  ordinary  power,  nor  [to]'  the  most  part;  as  Noe, 
Abraam,  Moses,  Samuel,  David,  and  Christ's  time  testifieth. 

Beware  of  deceit,  when  thou  hearest  the  name  of  the 
church.  The  verity  is  then  assaulted;  they  call  the  church 
of  the  devil  the  holy  church  many  times.  As  Korah  and 
the  rest  of  the  people  said  unto  Moses  many  times.  Why 
have  ye  deceived  the  people  of  (rod,  and  brought  them  out 
of  Egypt  ?  They  were  the  church  of  God  nothing  the  rather, 
though  it  was^  painted  with  this  holy  title ;  but  the  church 
of  the  devil,  and  a  congregation  of  rebeUious  and  seditious 
persons,  as  God  declared"  both  by  word  and  fact.  Moses 
called  not  them  the  church  of  God,  but  the  church  of  Korah ; 
not  the  people  of  God,  but  rebellious  and  God's  enemies,  as 
God  declared^  them  to  be  by  his  cruel  revenging  of  them.  So, 
tudeTs"not  ^^^J  times,  had  the  most  part"  been  preferred,  then  the  truth 
always  to  be  }iad  been  confounded,  and  Moses  and  Aaron  put  to  death. 

loUowed.  _    _  _       i  _ 

Remember,  christian  reader,  that  the  gift  of  interpretation" 
of  the  scripture  is  the  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  the 
humble  and  penitent  person  that  seeketh  it  only  to  honour 

'■  Supplied  from  R.  ^  That  church  which.  R. 

^  For.    R.  *  Considering  that  many  a  time.  R. 

^  Except  the  Lord  had  left  us  a  remnant,  we  had  been  as  Sodom.  R. 

Bound  unto  the.    R.         '  They  were.  R.         ^  Declareth.  R. 
"  If  the  most  part  had.   R.  Interpreting.  R. 


CHKIST  AND    HIS  OFFICE. 


85 


God ;  and  not  unto  those  persons  that  acclaim  it  by  title  or 
place,  because  he  is  a  bishop,  or  followed  by  succession  Peter 
or  Paul.  Examine  their  laws  by  the  scripture,  and  then  shalt 
thou  perceive  they  be  the  enemies  of  Christ's  church,  and  the 
very  church  of  Korah.  Remember,  therefore,  to  examine  all 
kind  of  doctrine  by  the  word  of  God ;  for  such  as  preach  it 
aright,  hath  their  infirmities  and  ignorancy"  They  may  de- 
part from  the  truth,  or  else  build  some  superstition  and  false 
doctrine  upon  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Superstition  is  to  be 
avoided,  false  doctrine  to  be  abhorred,  whosoever  be  the  author 
thereof  ^  prince,  magistrate,  or  bishop :  as  the  apostles  made 
answer,  Acto.  v.,  Oportet  magis  ohedire  Deo  quam  hominibus^^. 

The  superior  power  hath  authority,  and  may  make  what 
laws  they  list  for  the  wealth  and  preservation  of  their  subjects, 
so  it  repugn  not"  the  law  of  nature,  nor  the  law  of  God.  But 
as  touching  the  church  of  Christ,  which  governeth  the  soul  of 
man,  only  the  law  of  God  must  be  obeyed :  the  ceremonies 
ordained  for  a  good  order  to  be  observed  in  the  church,  should 
not  be  neglected,  as  the  assemblance  of  people  in  the  sabbath- 
day,  and  other  feasts,  wherein  the  word  of  God  is  preached, 
and  the  sacraments  rightly  ministered.  But  these  ceremonies, 
that  partly  superstition,  partly  avarice,  partly  tyranny,  hath 
brought  into  the  church,  are  to  be  eschewed ;  as  the  saying  of 
private  masses,  blessing  of  water,  bough,  bread,  bell  or  candle, 
svith  such  like.  As  for  the  praying  unto  dead  saints,  or  to  have 
iheir  images  in  the  church,  it  is  not  a  ceremony  matter,  but 
i^ery  plain  and  manifest  idolatry,  contrary  unto  the  express  word 
Df  God,  who  forbiddeth  to  make  any  image.  And  he  that  pray- 
3th  unto  God  in  the  name  of  any  dead  saint,  is  an  ethnick,  and 
linoweth  not  God;  for  he  followeth  his  imagination,  and  not 
the  word  of  God,  who  teacheth  and  commandeth  that  we  should 
both  know  and  pray  unto  him  in  his  Son's  name,  John  xiv. 
The  neglecting  of  this  commandment  deserveth  eternal  pains. 

Such  as  hath  a  knowledge'^  of  Christ,  from  henceforth  let 
ihem  givie  him  his  right  honour,  and  leave  this  idolatry  and 
superstition;  considering,  that  with  great  pain  he  won  the 

"  Ignorancies.  R.  Thereof,  omitted  in  R. 

W e  must  rather  ohey  God  than  men.  R. 
Repugnat,  1547.  dooe  not  repugne.  R. 
Such  as  have  knowledge.  R. 


86 


A  DECLARATION  OF 


church  out  of  the  hands  of  the  devil,  defendeth  it  with  his 
holy  Spirit,  and  governeth  it  with  the  laws  of  his  only  word. 
And  consider  whether  these  injuries,  blasphemies,  trouble, 
unquietness,  and  destruction  of  God's  people  by  the  law  of  the 
bishops  be  to  be  permitted,  though  they  cry  till  they  be  hoarse 
again,  The  holy  church !  (The  holy  church')!  Were  the  like 
trouble  in  any  realm  among  the  king's  subjects  by  the  occa- 
sion and  abuse  of  the  king's  majesty's  laws,  doubtless  could 
they  not  shew  under  the  king's  seal  their  law  to  be  of  authority, 
they  should,  as  right  is,  soon  be  put  to  silence,  and  their  adul^ 
terous  laws  and  sophistical  glosses  removed  out  of  the  way. 
Thus  I  know,  that  Christ  knew  best  all  the  histories  of  the 
old  law,  was^  the  present  teacher  himself  of  all  verity,  and 
most  wise  to  provide  for  the  church  such  laws  as  should  pre- 
serve it  in  his  absence. 

[THE  TWELFTH  CHAPTER.] 

Of  the  ^Now  that  we  know  what  Christ  and  his  office  is  in  the 

of  man,  and  church  of  God,  it  is  likewise  necessary  for  every  man  that  is  a 
towards  member  of  this  church  to  know,  what  man  is,  and  his  office 
towards  Christ.  For  as  God  hath  bound  himself  by  his  pro- 
mise to  be  our  God  and  helper  for  Christ ;  so  hath  he  bound 
man  by  his  commandment  to  be  his  servant,  and  in  his  word  to 
follow  Christ,  and  in  Christ  God,  for  the  commandment's  sake, 
until  such  time  as  the  end  wherefore  man  was  made  be 
obtained,  which  is  eternal  felicity,  and  man  restored  and 
made  like  unto  the  image  of  God,  as  he  was  at  the  be- 
ginning ;  full  of  justice,  obedience,  and  love  towards  his  Cre- 
ator and  Maker. 

I  will  not,  studying  brevity  and  to  be  short,  write  particu- 
larly of  every  member  and  office  thereof  ^  (wherewithal  the 
whole  mass  and  substance  of  man  is  framed) '  That  I  refer 
unto  the  learned  physicians,  that  writeth'  diligently  of  the  parts 
of  man,  and  unto  Lactantius,  De  Opijicio  Dei^.  Neither  what 
1  Omitted  in  R.  2  jjg  ^^^g^  ^ 

P  The  xii.  chapter  commences  here  in  R.]] 

*  Because  I  desire  to  be  short,  write  particularly  of  every  member  of 
man's  body,  and  what  is  the  office  thereof.  R.  ^  Which  write.  R. 

«  Writing  of  the  workmanship  of  God.  R.  [Liber  de  Opificio  Dei 
eruditus  et  lectu  utilissimus  est,  hoc  fine  ab  auctore  conscriptus,  ut 
Providentiam  Dei  ex  miranda  hominis  structura  comprobaret.  Vide 
Lact.  Op.  Oxon.  1684.  p.  774.] 


XI.] 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


87 


man  was  at  his  beginning before  he  sinned ;  full  of  godly 
Icnowledge,  always  lauding  the  goodness  of  his  Creator,  always 
obedient  unto  his  will,  always  following  the  order  of  reason, 
without  all  ill  and  contrary  concupiscence,  or  other''  carnal 
resistance.    To  be  shorty  man's  nature  had  been  in  all 
things  like  unto  the  law  and  as  perfect  as  the  law 
of  the  decalogue,  or  ten  commandments,  had 
not  he  sinned :  but  what  man  is  now  after 
his  transgression,  thus  the  christian 
reader  shall  be  advertised  [by 
that  which  followeth] 


Mun,  fallen  from  Ms  first  dignity  and  original  perfection,  is  mat  man 

*  is  3:ftGr  tiis 

mw  tlie  creature  that  fighteth  with  the  law  of  God:  /w?^  fail  and 
of  darkness,  ignorancy,  and  of  the  contempt  of  God;  with- smn." 
out  obedience,  fear,  and  love  of  God ;  oppressed  and  subject 
unto  all  calamities  and  wilful  concupiscence^  both  of  body 
and  soul. 

CAPUT  XIL 

The  enemy  of  God,  Eom.  viii.  the  image  of  the  devil, 
the  library  of  lies,  the  friend  of  the  devil,  right  heir  of  eternal 
death,  and  the  child  of  damnation,  Eph.  ii.  murderers  by 
the  means  of  sin,  not  only  of  ourselves,  but  also  of  the  Son 
of  God,  that  never  sinned.  And  yet,  not  understanding  this 
our  woeful  case  and  condition,  we  neglect  both  God  and  his 
law,  and  feel  not  our  infirmities  and  sickness:  the  more  is 
our  health  to  be  despaired  of. 

He  that  laboureth  with  a  dangerous  disease,  and  yet 
feeleth  not  the  grief  thereof,  shall  never  find  remedy,  neither 
have  the  ill  removed.  We  see  this  to  be  true  by  natural 
reason.    Of  all  diseases,  frenzy  is  the  most  dangerous ;  yet  it  is  a  most 

1  ,  ,  dangerous 

the  patient  leeleth  it  not,  nor  cannot  shew  where  nor  how  thins^iiot  to 
this  woeful  and  miserable  disease  molesteth  him.    Therefore  feeling  of 

sin. 

very  seldom  or  never  be  such  persons  cured  and  made  whole. 

'  Neither  will  I  write  what  man  was  at  the  beginning.  R. 

*  Or  rather.  R.      ^  To  conclude,  how.  R.      "  Supplied  from  R. 


88 


A  DECLARATION  OF 


[cH. 


Seeing  the  next  way  unto  health  is  the  knowledge  of  the 
disease,  and  man  is  in  himself  sick  and  infected  with  more' 
diseases  a  thousand  fold  than  I  have  rehearsed,  it  is  not  with- 
out cause  that  I  say,  to  know  what  man  is,  to  be  necessary', 
although  it  seem  not  so  unto  such  as  be  drunk  with  the 
pleasures  of  the  world,  and  never  think  from  the  bottom  of 
their  heart  to  return  unto  penanced  If  the  scripture  of  God 
and  writings  of  learned  men  cannot  persuade  them  what  the  ire 
of  God  is  against  sin,  my  labours  shall  little  avail,  I  know  well. 
Yet  is  every  disciple  of  Christ  bound  to  search^  the  glory  of 
God  and  salvation  of  his  neighbour,  and  commit  the  success 
unto  God. 

mlJ7omB  It  is  very  difficile  and  hard  for  man  to  know  himself.  The 
ledge  0"°''''  only  way  thereunto  is  to  examine  and  open  himself  before  God 
ourselves.  jj^^^  ^£       scripture.    And  he  that  will  behold  himself 

well  in  that  mirror  and  glass,  shall  find  such  a  deformity"  and 
disgraced  physiognomy,  that  he  will  abhor  his  own  proportion 
so  horribly  disfigured.  Let  man  seek  no  further  than  the  first 
commandment,  Exod.  xx.  Deut.  vi.,  Diliges  Dominum  Deum 
iuum,  &c.,  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  Lord  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
with  all  thy  mind,  with  all  thy  power,  and  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself:"  then  shall  man  perceive  his  wretchedness;  how  that 
he  loveth  nothing  less  many  times  than  God  or  his  neighbour ; 
and  perceive  that  he  is  the  friend  of  the  devil  and  of  the  world, 
and  a  contemner  of  God. 

This  ways  Saiiit  James  teacheth  man  to  know  himself,  cap. 
1.  Qui  perspexerit  in  legem,  quae  est  libertatis,  &c.*  St  James 
useth  this  word  "  law,"  in  the  Hebrew  phrase*,  thorah,  which 
signifieth  a  doctrine  that  teacheth,  instructeth,  and  leadeth  a 
man  as  well  unto  the  knowledge  of  himself  as  of  God^ 

So  St  Paul  admirandis  enallagis  et  prosopopoeis  in  Epi. 
Mom.  vii.  disputat^  By  the  law  cometh  the  knowledge  of 
sin  :  he  calleth  the  law  the  power  and  force  of  sin,  1  Cor.  xv. 

^  I  said  it  is  very  necessary  to  know  what  man  is.  R. 
^  Amendment  of  life.    R.  Seek.    R.  '  Deformed.  R. 

°  Whoso  looketh  in  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  &c.  R. 
"  Feace,  1547.  phrase.    R.    ^Thorah,  ri'ViPi  from  m^-D 
^  A  man's  will  unto  the  knowledge  of  himself  and  of  God.  R. 
"  With  wonderful  enallages  and  figures  disputeth  in  his  Epistle  to 
the  Romans,  chapter  vii.  R. 


XII.] 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


89 


Only  the  law  declareth  how  great  an  ilP  sin  is ;  and  the  man 
that  beholdeth  the  will  of  God  in  the  law,  shall  find  him- 
self, and  all  his  life,  guilty  of  eternal  death.  Read  the  se- 
venth chapter  to  the  Romans  with  judgment,  and  then  know 
what  man  is,  how  miserable,  spoiled  of  virtue  and'"  oppressed 
with  sin.  So  Paul  learned  to  know  himself,  and  knew  not 
what  sin  was  till  the  law  had  made  him  afraid,  and  shewed 
him  that  he  was  with  all  his  holiness,  being  a  Pharisee, 
damned.  Peccatum  occasione  accepta  per  prceceptwm  decipit 
me,  et  per  illud  occidif,  Eom.  vii.  And  in  the  same  chapter 
he  sheweth  plainly  what  he  saw  in  the  glass  and  contem- 
plation of  the  law,  that  sin  was  manifested  thereby,  and 
the  greatness  thereof  known,  Ut  appareret  peccatum,  per  id 
quod  erat  hmum  mild  gignere  mortem,  ut  fieret  majorem  in 
modum,  peccans  peccatum  per  prwceptum  Mark  the  travice 
and  play  between  the  law  of  God  and  the  conscience  of 
Paul,  and  see  how  he  giveth  thanks  unto  his  master  the 
law,  and  proclairaeth  it  to  be  a  spiritual  and  holy  thing,  as 
a  light  or  torch  to  shew  man  his  filthy  and  stinking  nature ; 
saying.  Lex  spiritualis  est,  at  ego  carnalis  sum,  venditus  sub 
peccatum'\  a  bondman  of  sin  and  traitor  of  God. 

Here  thou  seest,  good  reader,  what  a  miserable  wretch 
man  is;  and  how  man  may  know  his  misery  by  the  law. 
Howbeit,  though  we  read  it  many  times,  we  be  neither  the 
wiser,  neither  the  better.  We  be  not  taught  a  deal  by  this 
mistress  the  law:  she  cannot  make  us  good  scholars.  We 
dally  and  play  so  with  the  world;  we  live  in  such  security 
and  ease,  that,  say  she  what  she  fist,  we  turn  the  deaf 
ear  and  will  not  hear. 

Therefore,  to  make  man  to  know  himself,  God  sendeth  Because 

.  man  will  not 

another  mistress  to  school  man,  scilicet,  adversity     Then  we '"^ 
begin  to  understand  the  law  of  God,  that  dissuadeth  from 

°  '  himself,  the 

Lord  send- 
eth adver- 

"  An  ill,  omitted  in  R.         "  verte,  wand,  1547.  wonderfully.    R.  sity  to  teach 
;    "  Sin  took  an  occasion  by  tlie  commandment,  and  deceived  me,  and 
thereby  slew  me.  R. 

;  Sin,  that  it  might  appear  sin,  wrought  death  in  me  by  that  -which 
is  good;  that  sin  might  be  out  of  measure  sinful  by  the  command- 
ment. R. 

[Tvavice :  traverse,  a  term  in  fencing.] 
^  The  law. is  spiritual;  but  I  am  carnal,  .sold,  under  sin.  R. 


90  A   DECLARATION   OF  [cH. 

sin,  and  we  then  know  our  misery:  as  David  crieth,  that 
he  is  not  able  to  bear  the  burden  of  sin,  if  the  Lord  ex- 
ecute justice,  as  the  greatness  thereof  meriteth :  Si  iniquitatea 
oiservaveris,  JDomine,  quis  sustinehiP  ?  Psal.  exxx.  David,  when 
he  felt  the  pains  of  his  adultery,  the  death  of  his  child,  the 
conspiracy  of  Absalom,  the  vitiating  of  his  wives,  exile  and 
banishment,  and  such  other  calamities;  in  this  school  of 
misery  he  learned  this  verse,  Who  can  sustain  the  ire  of 
God  ?  Now,  though  these  temporal  pains  be  more  than  man 
can  support,  they  be  but  sport  and  dalliance  in  respect 
of  the  pains  eternal.  Howbeit,  man  may  learn  by  them 
how  much  God  is  displeased  with  sin,  and  know  himself  to 
be,  as  he  is,  a  vile  piece  of  earth,  with  all  his  pride  and  pomp, 
and  a  rebellion^  unto  his  Maker,  as  no  creature  else  isj 
saving  the  devil  and  he. 

This  inward  and  secret  ill,  rebellion  of  the  heart,  blindness 
of  the  intendment',  and  frowardness  of  will,  is  daily  aug- 
mented by  the  malice  of  the  devil  and  our  own  negligence, 
that  regardeth  not  what  the  law  teacheth  [and]*  God  re^ 
quireth  of  man.    Because  the  gospel  teacheth,  [that]*  we  are 
nied™"^*    only  saved  by  the  mercy  of  God  for  the  merits  of  Christ, 
where  there       gospellers  hath  set  all  at  liberty  ^  and  careth  not  at  all  of 
piineaifd''  ^"^^  ^'^'^^      should  and  ought  to  follow  every  justified  man 
for's'nf"  and  disciple  of  Christ.   [And]'  it  is  no  marvel;  for  there  is 
no  discipline  and  punishment  for  sin:  and  wheresoever  the 
gospel  be  preached,  and  this'  correction  not  used,  as  well 
against  the  highest  as  the  lowest,  there  shall  be  never  a 
godly  church. 

As  a  king's  army,  though  the[ir]'  hearts  be  never  so 
good,  cannot  resist  the  force  of  his  enemies  without  weapon 
and  artillery  necessary  for  men  of  war;  no  more  can  the 
king's  majesty,  the  magistrates,  and  preachers,  preserve  the 
church  against  the  devil  and  sin  without  the  excommunica- 
tion of  such  as  openly  offend  the  divine  majesty  of  God  and 
his  word.    For  by  this  means  the  sinner  is  taught  by  the 

^  If  thou  dost  mark  what  is  done  amiss,  Lord,  who  shall  abide 
it?  R. 

2  Rebel.    R.  a  Understanding.  R. 

*  Supplied  from  R.  s  Have  set  up  liberty.  R. 

«  For  such  a  life.   R.  '  This,  omitted  in  R. 


XII.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


91 


scripture  to  know  himself.  1  Cor.  v.  Congregatis  voiis,  et 
meo  Spiritu,  una  cum  potestate  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi, 
ut  is,  qui  hoc  patravit,  tradatur  Satance  ad  interitum  carnis, 
ut  spiritus  salvus  sit  in  die  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Ohristi". 
God  would  not  only  the  fideles^,  but  also  the  infideles^  to  be 
kept  in  an  order  by  the  disciphne  of  the  law,  as  Paul 
saith,  Lex  est  injustis  posita}" ;  likewise,  Deut.  xix.,  Auferes 
inalum,  ut  audientes  reliqui  timorem  haheant;  mn  miserearis 
ejus^' 

This  political  and  civil  use  of  the  law  teacheth  man  to  Divers 

'■  _  causes  vmy 

know  his  faults ;  and  this  discipline  of  the  law  exterior  and  discipline  is 

^  _  necessary 

civil  is  necessary  for  man,  [and  thatV  for  divers  causes:  and commo- 

•'  _    '    L  J  ^  dious  in  the 

first,  to  declare  our  obedience  unto  God ;  then,  to  avoid  the  church, 
punishment  that  always  God,  or  else  the  magistrate,  revengeth 
the  transgression  [by]"*;  thirdly,  because  of  a'^  public  peace 
in  every  commonwealth,  that  the'^  one  should  not  do  injuries 
to  the''  other,  neither  in  body  nor  in  goods. 

There  is  yet  another  cause,  why  this  discipline  of  the 
law  is  necessary,  which  few  men  regard.  Paul  saith,  that 
it  is  a  schoolmistress,  pedagogia^",  unto  Christ,  because  such  as 
leaveth  not  to  sin,  and  to  do  the  thing  contrary  unto  the 
express  word  of  God,  to  those  Christ  is  not  profitable.  This 
use  teacheth  Paul,  1  Cor.  vi.,  Fornicatores,  idolatri,  adulteri, 
<§*c.  regnum  Dei  non  possidebtmt^*.  And  so  saith  John,  Omnis 
qui  peccat  ex  diabolo  est'^.  He  that  knoweth  himself,  must 
refrain  from  doing  of  ill,  hear  the  gospel,  and  learn  the 
gospel,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  be  efficacious in  him ; 
which  cannot  be,  as  long  as  he  hath  a  purpose  to  continue 
in  doing  of  ill.    Ezechiel  speaketh  of  this  use  civil  and  politic 

'  When  ye  are  gathered  together,  and  my  Spirit,  in  the  name  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  such  one,  I  say,  by  the  power  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  delivered  unto  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the 
flesh,  that  the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  R. 

^Faithful.   R.  The  law  is  ordained  for  the  unjust.  R. 

"  Thou  shalt  take  away  the  evil  from  among  you,  that  the  residue 
which  hear  it  may  fear;  and  thou  shalt  not  take  pity  on  him.  R. 

1^  Omitted  in  R.  An.  R. 

'*  This  Saint  Paule  teacheth,  1  Cor.  vi.  saying.  R.  Fornicators, 
idolaters,  adulterers,  &c.  R.  [shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.] 

"  Saint  John.   Every  one  that  sinneth  is  of  the  devil.  R. 

"  Effectual.  R. 


92 


A    DECLARATION  OF 


of  the  law,  and  likewise  of  the  second  use  thereof,  which 
is,  as  I  said  before,  to  shew  man  his  sin,  to  accuse  man 
before  God,  to  fear  him,  and  to  damn  man  plainly' : 
chap,  xxxiii..  Vivo  ego ;  nolo  mortem  peccaioris,  sed  ut  vivat 
et  comertatur^.  These  words  declare,  that  as  God  would 
not  the  death  of  a  sinner,  so  he  requireth  the  sinner  to 
cease  from  doing  of  ill,  and  to  be  converted  unto  virtue. 
The  law  As  for  the  second  use  of  the  law,  which  is  to  declare 

dehvereth 

not  from    what  sin  is,  I  shewed  before  that  it  manifesteth  the  greatness 

sm.  '  ^  _  ~ 

and  vileness  thereof,  as  Paul  writeth :  it  damneth  sin,  and' 
dehvereth  not  from  sin:  Per  legem,  inqtiit,  cognitio  peccati.  Leon 
iram  efficit ;  per  legem  peccatum  fit  excellenter  reum.  Rom.  vii. 
Aculeus  mortis  peccatum,  virtus  autem  peccati  lex  est*.  1  Cor. 
XV.    In  men  that  be  addict  unto  the  pleasure  of  this  world, 
the  law  hath  not  this  use,  say  the  preacher  what  he  list. 
Let  the  word  of  God  threaten  death  eternal  for  sin;  it 
availeth  not.    He  thinketh  that  God  is  asleep,  and  will  at 
last  be  pleased  with  a  fig  for  sin.    [But]^  we  shall  find  the  con- 
trary to  our  great  pain,  as  other  hath  before  our  time,  that 
would  not  believe  the  word,  till  they  felt  the  vengeance  and 
punishment  of  God ;  as  Caim,  the  drowned  world"  with  the 
It  is  a  great  flood,  the  burning  of  Sodoma,  with  other.    It  is  a  great  and 
hide  or  ex-  horrible  offence  to  hide  or  extenuate  the  judgment  of  God 
judgment    against  sin,  and  the  voice  of  the  law,  that  condemneth  the 
against  sin.  Same.    God  wiUeth  his  pleasure  to  be  known  openlv  :  Hier.  i. 

and  the         „         7  y        7  •  j  .  . 

voice  of  the  jicce,  aem  verba  mea  tn  ore  tuo,  ecce,  constttm  te  super  aentes, 

law  that  „  ,  r      :f  ■> 

condemneth  ut  evellas  ct  ctestruas'' ^ 

This  use  and  office  of  the  law  none  feeleth  neither  per- 
ceiveth  so  well  as  such  as  be  God's  friends,  Adam,  Abraara, 
Jacob,  David,  Ezechias,  &:c.    David  said  that  the  fear  of 

'  Condemn  him.  R. 

^  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  not  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  rather 
that  he  might  be  converted  and  live.  R. 
It  condemneth,  and.  R. 

*  By  the  law  cometh  the  knowledge  of  sin.  The  law  causeth 
wrath:  by  the  law  sin  is  made  exceeding  guilty.  The  strength  of 
death  is  sin;  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law.  R. 

°  Supplied  from  R. 

"  The  old  world  that  was  drowned.  R. 

'  Behold,  I  have  put  my  words  into  thy  mouth:  I  have  set  thee 
over  nations,  that  thou  mayest  pluck  up  and  destroy.  R, 


XII.] 


CHRIST   AND   HIS  OFFICE. 


93 


God's  displeasure  and  ire  was  no  less  pain  unto  him,  than 
though  the  fierce  lion  had  rent  and  dismembered  his  body 
in  pieces:  Sicut  leo  contrivit  omnia  ossa  mea^,  Psal.  xxii.  So 
saith  Paul :  0  infelix  ego  homo!  quis  me  eripiet  ah  hoc  corpore 
morti  ohnoxio^?  He  that  before  said,  Ego  aliquando  vivebam 
sine  lege,  id  est,  fui  securus,  nan  senfiens  iram  Dei'" ;  now 
converted  from  a  Pharisee  to  be  an  apostle,  and  brought  to 
a  knowledge  of  himself,  he  confesseth  his  imbecility  and  faults, 
and  saith,  Kovi  quod  non  habitat  in  me,  hoc  est  in  came  mea, 
honmn'\  Yet  Paul  confesseth,  that  the  law  raaketh  us  not 
afraid  to  be  damned'"  because  we  cannot  satisfy  it,  but  that 
we  should  come  to  Christ,  with  these  comfortable  words: 
Conclmit  omnes  sub  peccato,  ut  omnium  misereatur'^.  A  great 
consolation  for  every  troubled  conscience ! 

Thus  man  may  know  himself  to  be,  as  he  is,  a  very 
wretched  and  damnable  creature,  were  not  the  virtue  of 
Christ's  death. 


CAPUT  XIII. 

[THE  THIRTEENTH  CHAPTER.] 

What  the  office  of  a  justified  man  is,  Paul  declareth,  what  is  the 
Tit.  ii. :  Apparuit  enim  qratia  salutifera  omnibus  hominibus,  every  true 

7  .  .  Christian. 

eruatens  nos,  ut  aonega\ta\  impietate,  et  mundams  concupiscen- 
tiis,  sobrie,  pie,  ac  juste  vimmus  in  hoc  sceculo'*.  By  these  words 
Paul  forbiddeth  all  impiety  and  dishonest  life,  and  sheweth 

'  As  a  lion  hath  he  broken  my  bones  in  sunder.  R. 

'  O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
of  this  death  ?  R. 

I  lived  sometimes  without  law,  that  is  to  say,  I  was  secure,  not 
feeling  the  wrath  of  God.  R. 

"  1  know  that  in  me, 'that  is  to  say,  in  my  flesh,  there  dwelleth 
no  good  thing.  R. 

Afeard  to  condemnation.  R. 

■'^  He  hath  shut  all  under  sin,  that  he  might  have  mercy  on  all.  R. 

"  The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men,  hath  ap- 
peared, and  teacheth  us,  that  we  should  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  and  that  we  should  live  soberly  and  righteously,  and  godly  in 
this  present  world ;  looking  for  the  blessed  hope,  and  appearing  of  the 
glory  of  the  mighty  God,  and  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave 
himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  &c.  R. 


94 


A  DECLARATION  OP 


man  that  is  justified,  what  he  should  do:  not  to  live  after 
the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh,  but  soberly  ;  not  unjustly  and 
doing  wrongs  unto  other,  but  rather  to  profit'  and  do  well 
unto  all  men.  It  sufficeth  not  man  justly  to  keep  his  goods, 
but  he  is  bound  justly  to  dispense  his  goods  with  other",  whe- 
ther they  be  of  the  body  or  of  the  mind ;  religiously,  and  not 
superstitiously.  A  notable  word  !  pie,  inquiP ;  as  the  word  of 
God  teacheth,  and  not  as  man's  laws  contrary  unto  Grod's 
law  teacheth.  Expedantes  beatam  spem,  &c.*  He  provoketh 
men  to  live  well,  and  taketh  his  reason  of^  the  profit  and 
commodity  that  followeth  a  godly  life,  which  is  immortal  life 
at  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment. 

Likewise  with  another  argument,  a  Uieratione  Christi 
petitwm,  et  ab  honesto:  Dedit  semetipsum  pro  mhis,  &C.''  The 
Son  of  God  gave  neither  gold  nor  silver  for  our  purgation, 
but  his  own  body  and  precious  blood.  It  is  therefore  an  un- 
worthy thing,  and  not  becoming  a  christian  man,  that  by  faith 
hath  received  this  purgation,  to  live  a  vicious  and  ungodly 
life:  but  we  should  be  an  holy  people,  and  followers  of  good 
works.  There  is  a  great  virtue  in  this  word,  "Zeloten'*."  It 
is  not  sufficient  to  work  well,  except  the  justified  man  with 
a  godly  zeal  and  ardent  desire  follow  this  good  work  begun. 
We  are  de-  Therefore  Paul  saith :  zeloten  colon  erqon,  et  mn  operatorem 

livered  from  ■'■ 

ihe  curse^of  ^oj^oram  operutYi^  Whereby  we  know,  that  although  we  be 
Christ,  not  delivered  from  the  malediction,  curse,  and  damnation  of  the 

from  the 

obedience  of  law,  SO  that  WO  retain  a  true  faith,  and  with  confidence  in 

the  law.  _  ,  ' 

Christ  repugn  sin,  and  overcome  the  terrors  thereof ;  yet  are 
we  bound  to  the  obedience  of  the  law,  which  is  God's  will 
to  keep  us  from  living  ill'".  And  the  more  the  justified  man 
beholdeth  the  law,  the  more  increaseth  the  knowledge  of  sin ; 

1  Benefit.   R.  ^  Unto  others.   R.  Goods  of.  R. 

*  Godly  (quoth  he.)  R. 

^  —  teach,  Looking  for  a  blessed  hope,  &c.  R. 
^  Occasion  from.  R. 
Being  taken  from  the  deliverance  wrought  by  Christ,  and  from 
that  which  is  honest.    He  gave  himself  for  us,  &c.  R. 
Z?)Xu)T^i/.]   Zealous.  R. 

*  ZrjKarrjv  KoKaiv  i'pyav.   Zealous  of  good  works,  and  not  simply  a 
doer  of  good  works.  R. 

"  In  sin.  R. 


Xlll.j 


CHRIST   AND  HIS  OFFICE. 


95 


the  more  he  beholdeth  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  the 
more  his  faith  increaseth. 

The  law  is  also  necessary  for  the  justified  man,  to  teach  ^acheth  the 
him  with  what  works  he  should  exercise  his  faith  withal"  and  j^|Jj*|^{J^j 
obedience  unto  God.    We  may  not  choose  works  of  our  own  ^"J^i^^q, 
wisdom  to  serve  him  withal;  but  would  us'"  to  be  governed 
by  his  word,  as  David  saith  :  Lucerna  pedibus  meis  verbum 
tuum.    Also,  Frustra  me  colunt  mandatis  hominum^^  The 
wisdom  of  man,  not  governed  by  the  word  of  God,  doth  soon 
err.     It  is  carried  for  the  most  part  with  affections,  and 
chooseth  the  works  that  be  contrary  to  the  law  of  God. 
Therefore  this  is  true,  that  the  ordinance  of  God  still  re- 
maineth  in  the  justified  man  immutable,  that  he  must  obey 
the  law,  and  serve  in  his  vocation  according  to  the  scripture  ; 
that  the  exterior  facts'''  may  bear  testimony  of  the  inward  re- 
conciliation. 

The  scripture  is  more  diligent  and  more  ample  in  teach- 
ing the  christian,  justified  man  the  obedience  unto  God  and 
virtuous  life,  than  it  is  to  shew  us  our  salvation  in  Christ ; 
and  that  is'°  for  this  purpose  only,  that  we  should  not  by  our 
licentious  liberty  I'eceive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  It  is 
more  hard  for  man  to  know  the  gospel,  than  to  follow  the 
life  of  the  gospel.  Another  man  may  preach  Christ,  but 
the  auditor  must  follow  Christ.  The  science  of  the  scripture 
is  practive,  and  not  speculative ;  it  requireth  a  doer  and  not 
a  speaker  only. 

There  be  many  that  dissembleth  faith,  and  hath  a  certain 
shew  of  religion,  when  indeed  in  the  inward  man  is  no 
faith  at  all.    Let  every  man  therefore  search  his  own  con- 
science, with  what  faith  he  is  endued,  and  remember 
that  Christ  said,  "  It  is  a  strait  way  and  narrow 
that  leadeth  to  life.  Matt,  vii.,  and  but  a  few 
that  walketh  therein."    Therefore  our 
only  remedy  is  to  pray  for  grace 
and  amend. 

"  Withal,  omitted  in  R. 

Who  will  have  us.  R. 
"  Thy  word  is  a  lantern  unto  my  feet.    Also,  In  vain  do  they 
worship  me  by  the  precepts  of  men.  R. 

'*  Outward  deeds.   R.  '^  And  that  is,  omitted  in  R. 


PRYNTYD 

IN  ZVRYCH  BY  AV- 

gustyne  Fries.  Anno  M. 
D.  XLVII. 


ANSWER 

TO  THE 

BISHOP  OF  WINCHESTER'S  BOOK. 


[hooper.] 


an  an^tiier  unto  mg 

6e  robtitfi  t5£  unlcrngb  people  of  t^e  treto 
bgkff  m  tjc  moost  blESSglJ  sacra-- 
ment  of  ti)e  m\ttx  tnaUf 
3joSann  l^optr. 

Psalm,  rig, 

Vestigia  mea  dirige  in  verbo  tuo  domine,  & 
&  non  dominabitur  mei  ulla  iniquitas, 


Prynted  in  Zurych  by  Augustyne  Fries. 
Anno  M  D  XLVII. 


A  D  E  T  E  C 


TION    OF  THE 


tijtt!)  fte  rotjfictfj  tijc  uti-- 
learntlj  people^  of  f^e 
true  Jiplref,  in  tf)e 
mo«it  iJle00cti  Sa- 
crament of  tlje 


Timeo  lie  sicat  serpens  euam  seduxit  astutia  sua:  ita  corrumpantar  sensus 
uestri,  et  excidant  a  simplicitate.    2  Cor.  xi. 


[[Tlie  colophon  at  the  end  is  as  follows:] 


PjTKnteir  at  iiaritsan  in  ^Rtcr^gatf 
Strctc,      3l!)nn  f^erforte,  at  ti)c 
ro^tt^  &  cfjargctf  of  Hatertc 
HCa^e,  ^ft^JrtIgnsE  tit 
PaitleS  cl^wrr^ic 
yarttc,  at  tl)c 
Sgguc  of 
tt)t  mi. 


aulter. 


1546. 


1546. 


7—2 


[Several  answers  were  published  to  Bishop  Gardiner's  book.  The 
first  of  these  was  by  A.  G.  (Anthony  Gilby)  anno  1647,  the  24  of  January. 
Hooper's  answer  was  dated  Zurich,  September,  1547.  But  the  most 
elaborate  and  most  important  work  in  the  controversy  with  Gardiner, 
upon  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar,  was  Archbishop  Cranmer's,  in  folio, 
1551. 

The  following  is  the  dedicatory  Epistle  of  the  "  Detection,  &c." 
Steven,  Bishoppe  of  Winchester,  to  the  reader. 

Consyder  gentle  reader,  how  ful  of  iniquite  this  tyme  is,  in  whiche, 
the  hyghe  mysterie  of  our  religion  is  so  openly  assaulted.  Byleue  not 
euery  spirite  and  mystruste  thyne  owne  judgement,  aboue  the  reache  of 
thy  capacite.  If  thou  beest  hungry  for  knowledge,  take  hede  thou 
fallest  not  on  every  carejTi^.  Be  desyrouse  of  the  very  truth,  and  seke 
it  as  thou  art  ordered  by  the  direction  of  Christes  Churche,  and  not 
as  deceytful  teachers,  wold  leade  the,  by  theyr  secrete  waies.  FoUow 
God  and  his  mynisters,  whom  he  ordereth  to  rule,  and  rather  conforme 
knowledge  to  agre  with  obedience,  where  Goddes  truthe  repugnethe 
not  unto  it,  then  with  violation  of  obedience,  which  is  a  displeasaunt 
fault  to  entei-prise  the  subuersion  of  Goddes  honour  and  glory.  Finally 
reade  when  thou  readest,  with  favour,  to  that  truth,  whiche  the  consent 
of  Christes  church  hath  from  the  beginnynge  commended  unto  us,  and 
reuerentlye  at  theyr  handes  receyue  the  true  understandinge  of  scrip- 
tures, whose  true  testimonie  hath  certified  us  of  the  selfesame  scrip- 
tures. 

And  have  alwaies  in  remembraunce  the  wordes  of  saint  James,  howe 
God  resisteth  the  presumptuouse  and  arrogant,  and  giveth  grace  to 
suche  as  be  in  spirite,  meke  and  lowly,  whiche  gyfte,  God  graunte  the, 
and  well  to  feare.] 


['  Carrion.] 


[DEDICATION]. 


JoHAN  HoPEB  wyshythe  grace  and  the  yefftes*  of  the  Holy 
Gooste  unto  my  lord  of  wynchester. 

Your  book,  my  Lord,  entitled  "A  detection  of  the 
devil's  sophistrie,  &c."  was  delivered  unto  me  in  Zurych 
the  30th  of  April  last  past ;  the  which  I  have  with  lei- 
sure and  diligence  perused,  marked  your  intention,  and  how 
ye  fence  a  wrong  opinion  with  many  fair^  words  and  di- 
vers reasons  sufficient  to  confirm  the  ignorant  in  his  igno- 
rancy,  to  stablish  his  error,  and  likewise  it  may  put  in 
danger  the  good  and  simple  conscience  unlearned,  that  is 
persuaded  and  seeth*  the  truth,  yet  for  lack  of  knowledge 
cannot,  nor  is  not  able  to  defend  the  same,  when  arguments 
subtle  and  crafty  shall  assault  his  simple  and  plain  faith, 
above  the  reach  and  capacity  of  his  intendment. 

Therefore,  because  I  desire  such  as  know  the  truth  to 
persevere  in  the  same,  and  such  as  yet  be  ignorant  thereof 
to  come  unto  the  truth,  that  in  Christ  they  might  with  the 
church  of  truth  find  eternal  salvation,  I  have  made  this  answer 
unto  your  book,  to  succour  and  warrant  the  conscience  of 
the  reader,  from  the  snares  and  sophistications  wherewithal 

[}  It  appears  that  the  only  edition  of  this  work  of  Hooper's  was  that 
printed  at  Zurich,  which  is,  if  possible,  still  more  "  pestered  with  gross 
and  palpable  faults,  by  passing  through  the  press  of  an  unskilful  prin- 
ter," than  "the  Declaration  of  Christ."  The  original  text  has  been 
strictly  adhered  to,  except  where  corrections  were  necessary  in  order 
to  make  sense  of  the  passage;  and  in  every  such  instance  a  literal  reprint 
of  the  text  has  been  added  in  the  notes.  The  texts  quoted  have  been 
placed  in  the  margin  for  the  convenience  of  the  reader :  they  were  not 
so  printed  in  the  book.]  Yefftes :  gifts.] 

P  Ffere,  in  the  original.] 
Seythe,  in  the  original] 


102 


DEDICATION. 


you  or  any  other  should  trouble  and  unquiet  the  peace 
and  tranquillity  of  him  that  resteth  only  under  the  sha- 
dow and  protection  of  God's  holy  word ;  being  delivered  from 
the  darkness  of  Egypt,  the  detestable  doctrine  of  man. 

I  have  likewise  dedicated  the  same  unto  your  Lord- 
ship, to  declare  that  it  is  against  your  cause  and  opinion 
that  I  write,  and  not  against  you,  to  whom  I  wish  the 
same  grace  and  favour  of  God  that  I  would  unto  myself, 
and  the  love  that  Paul  wished  unto  his  countrymen  the 
Jews,  of  whose  salvation  he  was  most  desirous,  though  their 
obstinacy  and  blindness  so  merited  the  punishment  and 
severity  of  God's  ire,  that  he  was  compelled  to  write  the 
indictment  and  condemnation  of  their  infidelity,  as  it  ap- 
Rom.  ix.  peareth  by  his  most  loving  and  affectionate  heart,  Rom. 
ix.,  before  his  entry  into  that  lamentable  and  severe  dis- 
putation of  their  departure  and  rejection  from  the  pro- 
mise of  God,  taking  God  and  his  conscience  to  record  that 
he  wrote  of  no  malice  nor  pretenced  ill  will,  but  constrained 
thereunto  to  serve  the  glory  of  God  and  the  truth  of  his 
word,  which  must  be  preferred  before  all  other  loves  of  the 
world.  Therefore  wrote  he,  as  I  do,  in  the  defence  of  the 
verity  to  gain  such  as  he  wrote  unto  unto  God,  and  to  defend 
them  that  knew  the  truth  from  the  subtlety  and  craft  of 
such  as  pretended  the  subversion  of  the  truth  by  crafty 
and  subtle  argumentation. 

It  is  not  ignorant*  unto  you  what  may  be  done  by  the 
virtue  of  a  fair  and  well  ordered  oration^ ;  how  much  it 
availeth,  whether  it  persuade  a  truth  or  a  falsity.  No  need  to 
seek  examples  thereof  in  Demosthenes,  Cicero,  or  any  other 
profane  writer.  The  scripture  is  plain,  that  it  hath  such 
vehemency  and  effect  in  itself  with  the  help  of  the  devil, 
that  it  persuadeth  the  falsest  lie  of  the  world  to  be  true; 
maketh  man  to  believe  not  only  that  good  is  ill,  the  truth 
falsehood,  but  that  God,  his  word,  and  all  that  speaketh  his 
P  Ignorant :  unknown.] 

P  The  vetteue  of  afere  and  well  orderyd  oracion,  in  the  original.] 


DEDICATION. 


103 


word  be  false ;  as  we  may  see,  Num.  xiii.  by  the  oration  of  Num.  xiii. 
those  ten  that  were  sent  by  the  church  of  the  IsraeHtes,  with 
Jehosua  and  Caleb,  to  inquire  and  search  the  condition 
and  nature  of  the  land  of  Canaan  :  at  their  return,  as  traitors 
of  the  commonwealth,  and  not  as  faithful  inquisitors,  as  it 
was  commanded  them  in  their  embassage  and  commission, 
made  this  oration  and  advertisement  of  their  expedition : 
Venimus  ad  terram  ad  qmm  nos  misisti,  et  utique  fluit 
lacte  et  melle,  et  hie  est  fructus  ejus.  Nisi  quod  populus 
est  fortis,  qui  habitat  in  terra,  et  civitates  mrniitce  et  grandes 
mlde.  Quin  et  filios  Anac  vidimus  ibi.  Amalec  autem  habi- 
tat in  terra  meridionali,  &c.^  This  brief*  oration  so  pre- 
vailed among  the  Israelites,  that  it  brought  the  whole  mul- 
titude and  congregation  of  the  church  into  desperation, 
into  a  contempt  of  God  and  their  lawfully  appointed  em- 
peror Moses,  and  high  priest  Aaron. 

Confer  the  effect  of  this  oration  which  ye  may  see  in 
the  beginning  of  the  14th  chapter  of  Numbers,  with  God  and  Num.xiv. 
all  the  miracles  that  ever  he  wrought  for  them  :  and  yet  more 
availed  this  false  oration  to  persuade  a  false  effect  than  God, 
his  word,  Moses,  or  Aaron.   God,  among  all  the  people  of  the 
world,  chose  this  people  to  be  peculiar  unto  himself,  and  bid 
Moses  say  unto  Pharao  that  he  should  dismiss  his  people 
to  do  sacrifice  unto  him,  Exod.  viii.    This  singular  favour  Exod.  viii. 
and  privilege  availed  nothing :  they  would  return  into  Egypt, 
Num.  xiv.  again,  and  serve  Pharao,  their  mortal  enemy.  Num.  xiv. 
and  leave  the  living  God : — he  that  divided  the  Red  Sea, 
killed  all  the  first-begotten  of  Egypt,  Exod.  xii.  fed  them  Exod.  xii. 
with  meat  from  heaven,  wonderfully  preserved  both  their 
fathers  and  them,  of  his  merciful  favour  promised  them  not 

P  We  came  unto  the  land  whither  thou  sentest  us,  and  surely  it 
floweth  with  milk  and  honey ;  and  this  is  the  fruit  of  it.  Nevertheless 
the  people  be  strong  that  dwell  in  the  land,  and  the  cities  are  walled 
and  very  great :  and  moreover  we  saw  the  children  of  Anac  the*-e.  The 
Amalekites  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  south,  &c.  Num.  xiii.  27—29.] 
Bryve,  in  the  original.] 


104 


DEDICATION. 


only  life  eternal,  but  also  a  pleasant,  rich,  and  most  com- 
modious realm  and  kingdom  in  this  world. 

Now  hath  this  false  oration  of  the  ten  traitors  wrought 
such  an  opinion  in  their  heads,  that  they  defy  God,  and  hath 
no  more  trust  nor  confidence  in  him,  nor  will  not  hear  him 
spoken  of,  insomuch  that  all  the  whole  congregation  agreed  to 
stone  Jehosua  and  Caleb  to  death,  because  they  contraried 
their  wicked  pretence ;  yet  was  it  not  the  fear  of  stones, 
fire,  neither  sword  that  could  fear  these  two  godly  men 
from  preaching  the  truth  of  God.  They  had  words  against 
words,  and  an  oration  against  an  oration,  and  said,  "If  it 
please  the  Lord,  he  can  bring  us  into  this  land ;  and  truly 
because  he  hath  promised  it  unto  us,  he  will  give  it.  Be 
not  ye  rebellious  against  him,  neither  fear  ye  not  the  people 
of  the  land;  they  shall  be  our  bread,  we  shall  devour  them; 
for  Zilam'^,  their  protection,  is  departed  from  them,  and 
the  Lord  is  with  us." 

Little  availed  this  godly  oration ;  it  persuaded  nothing 
at  all.  Yet  did  these  two  their  duties  to  shew  the  truth, 
which  is  an  example  that  we  should  do  the  same ;  always 
confess  the  truth,  and  defend  the  .word  of  God,  though  there 
be  little  hope  or  none  that  it  shall  take  effect.  Yet  it  is 
our  duties,  whether  we  be  learned  or  unlearned,  every  man  to 
confess  his  faith.  For  he  that  saith,  "  In  thy  heart  thou 
shalt  have  no  more  gods  but  one,"  the  same  God  saith, 

Exod.  XX.  "  Thou  shalt  not  take  my  name  in  vain."  Exod.  xx.  And 
in  forbidding  the  negative  he  commandeth  the  affirmative. 
It  is  not  sufficient  to  refrain  the  tongue  from  swearing  and 
speaking  of  ill,  but  that  it  must  confess  the  truth  of  God 
and  speak  well,  as  David  saith  :  DecUna  a  malo  et  fac  homm^. 
It  is  not  sufficient  to  leave  ill  undone,  but  that  we  must  do 
the  good  commanded  by  God  and  his  law.    As  David  saith, 

Psai.  i.      Psalm  i.  "  Blessed  is  he  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel 

\}  D>'iJ?  umbra  illorum.'] 

P  Depart  from  evil  and  do  good.   Psalm  xxxiv.  14.] 


DEDICATION. 


105 


of  the  ill,  &c.  but  hath  his  meditations  in  the  law  of  God 
day  and  night." 

Wist  I  that  my  labour  should  never  do  good,  nor  help 
the  conscience  of  one  man,  yet  for  the  commandment^s  sake 
would  I  have  written,  to  set  one  oration  against  the  other, 
because  I  see  the  name  of  God  blasphemed  by  the  opinion 
that  ye  defend.  But  I  have  hope  that  it  shall  somewhat 
avail  to  confound  the  falsehood  and  bring  the  truth  sooner 
to  light.  I  know  it  is  the  condition  of  God  to  permit  unto 
every  oration  his  nature  and  condition ;  as  we  see  sometimes 
by  preaching  of  the  true  word  of  God  people  are  converted 
unto  faith ;  sometime  by  preaching  the  doctrine  of  men  peo- 
ple are  seduced  and  carried  from  the  faith.  It  is  not  the 
natiire  of  God  to  make  the  false  orator  dumb,  when  he 
would  persuade  a  false  opinion,  neither  to  make  his  audi- 
tors deaf ;  but,  as  I  say^  he  suffereth  the  oration  to  work 
his  virtue,  and  leaveth  free  election  unto  the  audience  to 
embrace  which  part  they  list ;  by  grace  and  a  consent- 
ing will,  the  good;  by  the  devil  and  their  own  malice, 
the  ill.  Now,  the  orator  of  God  must  persuade  with 
none  other  arguments  or  words  than  the  master  of  the 
school,  Christ,  hath  taught,  the  prophets  and  apostles  writ- 
ten. It  is  no  orator  of  Christ's  that,  contrary  unto  his 
canons,  rules,  and  precepts,  would  persuade  in  the  church 
any  thing  more  than  is  prescribed  in  the  scripture ;  the 
which  is  most  perfect  and  sufficient  to  persuade  in  causes 
of  religion  all  things. 

That  law  must  needs  be  most  perfect,  that  can  have 
nothing  added  unto  it,  nor  nothing  taken  from  it.  Of 
this  condition  is  the  scripture,  as  ye  know  by  the  words 
of  Moses  and  the  Revelation  of  John.  Luke  in  his  latter 
book  saith :  Superiore  volumdne  diximus,  Theophile,  de  om~ 
nibus  qucB  coepit  Jesus  facere  et  docere^.    The  which  words 

P  The  former  treatise  have  I  made,  O  Theophilus,  of  all  that  Jesus 
began  both  to  do  and  to  teach.    Acts  i.  1.] 


106 


DEDICATION. 


John  Chrysostom  thus  interpreteth :  *  De  omnibus  et  non 
omnia ;  de  omnibus  ad  salutem  necessariis^. 

Concerning  doctrine,  and  how  to  lead  our  life,  it  is  suffi- 
ciently taught  in  the  scripture.  Those  that  will  stablish  the 
mass,  as  ye  do,  my  Lord,  and  defend  idolatry,  must  prove  the 
thing  ye  speak  by  the  scripture,  and  plainly  satisfy  the  places 
of  the  scripture  brought  against  you :  ye  must  not  darken 
the  places  with  glosses  of  your  imagination';  but  dissolve  the 
places,  and  content  both  the  scripture,  which  is  your  mor- 
tal enemy  in  this  matter,  and  likewise  satisfy  the  reason 
of  man,  which  ye  neglect  in  this  cause  of  the  sacrament, 
otherwise  than  ye  should  do ;  and  for  a  good  reason  ye 
bring  an  invisible  miracle.  God,  that  can  resuscitate  the 
children  of  Abraham  out  of  the  hard  stones,  send  you  of 
his  mercy  full  grace  to  take  away  the  veil  of  blindness 
and  give  you  his  light !    Amen.    Tiguri,  9  Septembris, 

M.D.XL.VII. 

JOHANNES  HOPERUS, 

Anglus  voluntate  ac  legibus''. 

Not  all,  but  of  all ;  i.  e.  of  aU  things  necessary  to  salvation.^ 
P  'AXX'  ovk  (LTre,  navTa,  aXXa  nepl  ndvrav,  ds  av  f'lnoi  rts,  dbpo- 
fifpSis  Koi  raxvfiepas-   rj  mpl  iravrav  \eyei,  rmv  avvexourmv  km  kotc- 
miyvvTcov.    Chryst.  Op.  Tom.  ix.  p.  6.  Ben.  Ed.  Par.  1837.^ 
P  Ymagyon,  in  the  original.^ 

John  Hooper,  an  Englishman  in  heart  and  by  right.] 


[ANSWER 

TO  THE 

BISHOP  OF  WINCHESTER'S  BOOK.] 


It  is  daily  prayed  in  the  church  of  God,  good  christian 
reader,  of  as  many  as  knoweth  and  feeleth  in  themselves 
their  weakness,  how  soon  man  is  carried  away,  either  with 
affections,  either  by  force  of  temptation,  which  the  nature 
of  man  corrupted  in  no  wise  can  resist,  unto  all  kind  of 
abomination  ;  that  God  of  his  mercy  would  defend  those 
dangerous  assaults  of  the  devil,  the  world,  the  flesh,  and 
sin,  and  saith,  Ne  inducas  nos  in  tentationem :  "  Suffer  not 
us  to  be  overcome  with  temptation,"  nor  carried  away  by  the 
force  of  the  devil  into  the  danger  of  sin  and  iniquity,  but 
deliver  us  from  ill ;  govern  us  with  the  light  of  thine 
eternal  truth;  that  neither  by  ignorance  of  knowledge 
of  thy  most  holy  word,  neither  by  the  imbecillity  and 
weakness  of  our  infirm  nature,  we  fall  not  away  from 
thee\ 

Great  and  wonderful  was  the  prudence  of  David ;  yet 
was  he  divers  times  carried  away  into  many  great  sins, 
and  so  for  the  time  made  servant  unto  the  devil  and  his 
own  lusts,  that  with  great  difficulty  and  unspeakable  peni- 
tence scarce  could  he  in  long  time  after  moderate  those 
wilful  and  rash  affections :  so  dangerous  a  thing  is  it  to 
be  servant  unto  the  devil,  who  would  have  all  men,  created 
unto  the  similitude  of  God,  and  redeemed  with  the  most 
precious  blood  of  his  only  Son,  to  be  the  eternal  vessels 
of  God's  ire  and  vengeance,  as  he  is  himself.  And  to  bring 
this  wicked  purpose  to  pass,  he  useth  not  one  simple  and 
plain  way,  but  a  thousand  crafty  and  false  subtleties,  as 
he  seeth  occasion  prompting  to  every  matfs  nature  and 

£°  —  goueme  us  with  the  ligth  of  thyne  eternal  tmythe.  that  nether 
by  ignoraynce  of  knolege  of  thy  moost  holy  worde.  nether  by  thym- 
becillite  ant  weakenys  of  our  infirme  nature,  we  fall  not  awaye  from  the, 
in  the  original.] 


108 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


inclination,  the  sin  that  he  is  most  prone  and  disposed  unto, 
and  leaveth  not  the  man  that  he  assaulteth  until  such  time 
as  he  obtain  the  victory;  except  the  wretched  man  keep 
himself  with  dread  and  fear  under  the  protection  of  God's 
mercy,  and  desire  him  with  ardent,  vehement,  and  daily 
prayer,  that  in  Christ  he  may  resist  the  force  of  his  mortal 
enemy,  whose  final  pretence  is  none  other  than  to  bereave 
the  soul  of  man  of  the  joys  eternal,  and  to  have  him  his 
companion  for  ever,  to  curse  the  living  God,  and  to  blas- 
pheme his  holy  name  without  end.  But  these  temptations 
in  Christ  we  may  overcome.  "  He  came  into  the  world 
1  John  iii.  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil."  1  John  iii.  And  no 
man  may  better  overcome  the  devil,  than  he  that  is  well 
persuaded  of  his  malicious  and  insatiable  ire  towards  God 
and  man,  knoweth  and  feeleth  in  himself  that  he  is  mortal 
enemy  both  unto  God  and  unto  all  his  most  perfect  works, 
ready  always  to  pervert  God's  order  in  all  things,  as  we  may 
to  our  pain  perceive  in  ourselves. 

The  soul  that  was  created  unto  the  similitude  of  God, 
replenished  with  all  virtue  and  grace,  full  of  knowledge, 
prudence,  and  understanding  in  all  things  appertaining  unto 
God,  a  heart  most  gentle,  humble,  and  always  obedient  unto 
God  and  godliness,  a  will  most  ready  and  prompt  to  em- 
brace, choose,  and  elect  the  things  godly,  and  eschew, 
refuse,  and  avoid  whatsoever  God  and  reason  judged  to  be 
ill ;  but  now  it  is  contrary :  for  knowledge,  ignorancy ;  for 
light,  darkness  ;  for  obedience,  contumacy  and  rebellion  of 
heart,  both  against  God  and  his  word ;  and  for  a  will  that 
would  be  inclined  and  choose  nothing  but  virtue,  and  such 
things  as  might  most  appertain  unto  the  glory  of  God,  a 
will  that  now  chooseth  nothing  less  than  to  serve  God, 
and  rather  to  blaspheme  God,  than  to  refuse  the  ill  offered 
by  the  devil  contrary  unto  God. 

Thus  is  man  spoiled  of  all  his  original  riches,  daily 
wounded  more  and  more  with  wounds,  fresh  and  new  ;  now 
pierced  with  this  sin,  now  with  that  sin,  and  yet  like  unto 
men  of  no  senses,  we  feel  neither  perceive  how  neither 
when  we  are  wounded,  neither  care  to  seek  a  remedy  of 
this  ill;  though  right  well  we  know  that  every  sin  that 
man  committeth,  of  justice  deserveth  eternal  damnation. 
But  these  things  moveth  nothing  at  all  the  man  that  is 


BISHOl'   OF    WINCHESTEK  S  BOOK. 


109 


ignorant  what  the  devil,  the  world,  and  isin  is :  he  feeleth 
neither  what  his  disease  is,  neither  knoweth  the  craft, 
malice,  and  deceit  of  his  enemy  ;  and  by  those  means  de- 
parteth  not  only  from  God,  but  also  from  all  honesty,  and 
falleth,  he  knoweth  not  how,  into  such  detestable  crimes  and 
ignorancy  of  God,  that  both  God,  the  world,  and  their  own 
conscience  heareth  testimony  of  their  iniquity  against  them. 

These  our  infirmities  and  great  offences  we  must  learn 
to  know,  and  once  known,  diligently  study  to  amend  them, 
and  to  remove  the  causes  of  these  ills  ;  then  the  effect 
is  soon  destroyed.  The  way  to  remedy  all  this  ill,  and 
to  lead  an  upright  and  honest  life,  is  to  know  God  by 
his  true  and  holy  word,  who  leadeth  a  man  unto  virtue 
only  and  solely,  as  David  teacheth.  Psalm  cxix.  Quo  ^ac#o  Psaimcxix. 
adolescens  mtam  inculpatam  aget?  Nempe  si  earn  cmtodiat 
uL  dictat  verbiim  tuum.  Quum  autem  te  quceram  in  toto 
corde  meo,  ne  sinas  me  err  are  a  mandatis  tuis^.  Whosoever 
conform  his  life  unto  the  word  of  God,  shall  be  out  of 
the  danger  of  his  enemy  the  devil.  Though  he  be  subject 
unto  the  infirmities  of  the  flesh,  and  must  suffer  the 
temptations  thereof,  yet  shall  he  not  be  overcome,  but  in 
Christ  able  to  resist,  yea,  and  to  be  delivered  from  death, 
sin,  and  the  devil ;  as  all  godly  men  before  our  time  hath 
done,  and  likewise  left  behind  them  in  writing  how  we 
may  do  the  same.  St  Paul,  that  knew  both  the  thoughts 
of  the  devil,  2  Cor.  ii.,  and  also  his  apert  and  open  2  cor.  a. 
malice  against  those  churches  that  he  had  preached  the 
gospel  of  Christ  unto ;  among  other,  he  teacheth  the  church 
of  the  Galatians,  that  the  principal  remedy  against  sin  is 
to  believe  stedfastly  the  gospel  of  Christ,  that  he  preached 
unto  them,  and  not  to  admit  any  false  doctrine,  or  other 
learning,  though  an  angel  from  heaven  should  preach  the 
contrary.  Gal.  i. ;  not  to  admit  any  false  addition  or  dream  Gai.  i. 
of  man,  but  be  contented  to  use  the  same  as  he  left  it : 
rebuked  wonderfully  such  audacious  persons,  as  took  upon 
them  to  set  any  gloss  or  interpretation  other  than  he  had 
preached  unto  them.    Thus  taught  Moses  the  children  of 

\}  AVherewithal  shall  a  young  man  cleanse  his  way?  By  taking 
heed  thereto  according  to  thy  word.  With  my  whole  heart  have  I 
sought  thee :  O  let  me  not  wander  from  thy  commandments.  Psal. 
cxix.  9,  10.3 


110 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


Israel,  and  bid  them  observe  the  law  as  it  was  given  from 
God,  and  threatened  the  transgressors  and  those  that 
added  unto  the  law  the  displeasure  of  God's  ire,  which 
should  cause  all  men  to  tremble  and  quake  for  fear  as 
many  times  as  they  thinketh,  readeth,  or  heareth  readen^ 
any  part  of  the  holy  scripture,  because  they  receive  it  not 
with  more  reverence  and  honour,  with  hearty  prayer  that 
God  will  preserve  them  from  all  false,  sinister,  and  perverse 
interpretations  thereof,  and  vfith  all  study  and  diligence  to 
follow  and  practise  whatsoever  be  commanded  them  to  do 
by  God's  word,  in  godly  and  virtuous  living. 

For  the  law  was  not  given  to  be  written  in  parchment  or 
paper,  but  in  the  heart  of  man  ;  not  to  babble  and  prate  of 
it,  but  to  live  as  it  biddeth ;  not  to  bear  it  in  the  bosom,  but 
to  shew  it  unto  the  world  in  godly  conversation  and  virtuous 
life;  to  mark  all  things  therein  contained,  and  to  think 
verily  that  all  together  is  spoken  to  thee,  and  that  God 
requireth  that  honesty  and  godliness  of  life  in  thee  that 
there  is  expressed,  and  would  thee  to  beware  how  thou 
transgress  his  law,  and  to  avoid  his  importable^  displeasure, 
by  the  example  of  other.  For  as  God  letted  not  to  punish 
the  transgression  of  our  forefathers,  he  is  the  same  God  still, 
and  will  do  the  like  unto  thee,  if  thou  commit  like  offence. 
Remember  that  the  original  of  man's  misery,  condemnation, 
and  death,  was  first  wrought  by  the  false  interpretation  of 
the  scripture  ;  as  thou  mayest  see  by  the  horrible  and  most 
fearful  example  of  Adam's  wicked  and  detestable  trans- 
gression, which  made  all  his  posterity  and  succession  prisoners 
eternally  unto  death,  hell,  and  sin,  and  compelled  by  the 
same  means  the  Son  of  the  eternal  God  to  sustain  the  in- 
carnation of  mortal  flesh,  to  appease  the  ire  of  God  for 
man  s  transgression,  that  by  the  means  and  death  of  his 
most  innocent  body  he  might  derive  into  himself  the 
whole  displeasure  and  vengeance  of  man's  transgression. 

Were  there  no  more  scripture  but  that  that  describeth 
the  fall  of  man  and  the  means  how  he  was  lost,  it  were 
sufficient  to  teach  all  the  world  to  beware  how  to  take 
the  word  of  God  in  a  wrong  sense.  If  Adam  had  been 
contented  to  have  used  the  word  of  God  as  it  was  given 
unto  him,  those  miseries  had  never  been  known,  neither 
[}  Readen  :  read.]  ( ^  Importable :  insufferable.] 


BISHOP    OF   WINCHESTER''s  BOOK. 


Ill 


by  him,  neither  by  his  posterity :  but  he,  wretched  man, 
forgot  God  and  godliness,  yea,  eke  his  own  wealth,  left 
the  text  and  believed  the  gloss,  as  the  devil  had  taught 
Eve,  which  wrought  his  woe  and  pain.  And  whereas  he 
would  not  for  the  love  of  God  believe  the  text  of  God's 
mouth,  the  pains  that  followed  his  transgression  taught 
him  to  know  that  the  gloss  was  diabolical. 

Thus  being  instructed,  let  us  beware  of  glosses  and 
false  interpretations,  and  in  all  matters  of  controversy  and 
causes  of  religion,  believe  no  man  except  he  speak  the  word 
of  God  truly  and  in  the  same  sense  that  God  meant  it. 
For,  as  Paul  saith,  "  We  are  founded  upon  the  foundation 
of  the  prophets  and  the  apostles,  the  chief  comer-stone  being 
Christ.""  Eph.  ii.  And  let  us  not  doubt  but  only  the  Ephes.  ii. 
scripture  is  sufficient  to  teach  us  all  verity  and  truth  con- 
cerning religion,  and  to  govern  our  life  in  all  godly  and 
honest  conversation.  And  by  the  scripture  we  may  come 
alone  unto  all  perfection,  confute  all  heresies  and  false 
doctrine,  though  there  had  never  doctor  written,  ne  never 
decree  made  by  any  general  council,  as  Paul  teacheth,  2  Tim.  2  Tim.  iii. 
iii.  2  Pet.  i. 

Therefore,  christian  reader,  as  thou  hopest  to  be  saved, 
hearken  diligently  unto  the  words  of  our  heavenly  Father, 
and  hear  them  not  only,  but  understand  them,  believe 
them,  and  do  them.  His  words  be  these.  Matt.  xvii.  Hie  Matt.  xvii. 
est  films  mens  dilectus,  in  quo  mihi  complacitum  est ;  ipsum 
audite^.  A  few  words,  but  a  great  matter  contained  in 
them :  the  only  salvation  of  all  our  health,  sufficient  autho- 
rity to  overthrow  all  false  doctrine  and  all  idolatry  of  the 
world.  He  that  teacheth  anything  that  Christ  taught  not, 
is  not  to  be  heard.  Such  as  only  hath  their  redemption  in 
the  only  death  of  Christ,  will  believe  nothing  but  that  Christ 
commandeth,  nor  do  any  work  that  cannot  be  approved 
by  the  scripture.  He  holdeth  always  this  text  before  his 
eyes,  that  the  Father  shewed  unto  the  world,  saying,  "  This 
is  my  Son,  in  whom  I  delight and  doth  also  with  reve- 
rence and  honour  embrace  and  receive  his  commandment, 
which  is,  Ipsum  audite,  "  Hear  him." 

Now  let  us,  with  the  help  of  his  holy  Spirit,  see  whether 

P  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased ;  hear  ye  him. 
Matt.  xvii.  6.] 


112 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Christ  ever  taught  this  doctrine,  that  in  the  sacrament  of 
his  holy  supper  he  meant  any  alteration,  or  transubstantiation 
of  the  bread  into  his  very  natural  body,  and  the  wine  into 
his  very  natural  blood,  (as  my  lord  of  Winchester  teacheth 
in  his  book,)  or  not ;  or  whether,  sith  his  glorious  body  was 
ascended  into  heavens,  heaven,  earth,  man,  and  angel  bearing 
record  thereof  with  outcries  and  admiration,  Viri  Galilm, 
quid  admiramini,  aspicientes  in  caelum  ?    Hie  Jesuis,  qui  as- 

Acts  i.  sumptus  est  a  wUs  in  caelum,  &c. '  Acts  i.  (mark  the  manner 
of  his  visible  and  corporal  ascension,  and  believe  the  scripture, 
the  angels,  and  holy  apostles"'  eyes,  that  saw  him  bodily 
ascend,  and  these  words,  Bic  veniet,  &c.,  better  than  these 
new  massers ;)  whether  it  be  possible  that  the  seed  of 
Abraam,  the  fruit  and  issue  of  the  belly  of  that  glorious 
virgin  Mary, — being  in  all  things,  except  sin,  as  consub- 
stantial,  equal,  and  hke  unto  the  nature  of  his  mother,  and 
nothing  differing  from  the  son  of  Adam,  concerning  his 

Heb.  ii.  humanity,  Heb.  ii.,  as  in  his  Godhead  is  equal  and  like  in 
all  things  unto  the  Father  eternal,  that  hath  neither  begin- 
ning nor  ending, — can  be  or  may  be,  against  the  nature  of  a 
true  body,  present  bodily  at  the  commandment  of  every 
priest,  when  he  speaketh  these  words.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum  ^ ; 
which  thing  is  as  possible  to  be  done  by  a  word,  as  to  make 
an  end  of  the  world  when  he  would.  For  whensoever  his 
glorious  body  shall  descend  from  above,  the  end  is  come. 

Matl'xxiv.  Acts  i.,  Matth.  xxiv. 

Until  that  day,  christian  reader,  look  not  for  him, 
but  believe  thy  creed ;  and  whatsoever  thou  hearest  spoken 
by  those  ill  persons  of  the  new  learning,  that  it  should 
be  present  corporally  in  the  mass,  which  is  but  a  yester- 
day's bird,  trust  thou  to  the  old  learning  of  God's  word. 

Acts  i.       Sedet  ad  dextram  Dei  Patris,  inde  venturus  est  judicare 

1  John  II. 

vivos  et  mortuos^.  Acts  i.  y-,  1  John  ii.  Believe  Christ s 
body  to  be  really  and  corporally  in  the  sacrament,  when  thou 
seest  him  there  with  thy  corporal  eyes,  and  not  before  ;  for 
Christ  hath  no  body  invisible  nor  insensible,  as  men  dream, 

P  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven?  This 
same  Jesus  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  &c.    Acts  i.  11.] 
P  This  is  my  body.] 

\^  He  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father ;  from  thence  he 
shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


113 


but  a  very  true  and  natural  man's  body,  like  unto  mortal  man, 
except  sin ;  and  now  likewise  a  glorified  body  immortal,  as 
burs  shall  be  in  time  to  come. 

And  as  many  places  of  the  New  Testament  proveth 
Christ's  humanity,  as  proveth  his  deity,  and  more ;  and  as 
the  word  attributeth  unto  the  one  nature  divine  all  quali- 
ties, conditions,  and  properties  appertaining  unto  the  God- 
head, so  of  the  other  part,  it  more  manifesteth,  openeth, 
and  declareth  his  humanity  to  be  a  nature  of  other  con- 
trary qualities  and  conditions.    Forasmuch  as  God  difFereth 
from  man,  so  far  doth  the  one  nature  in  Christ  differ  from 
the  other.    And  as  I  must  believe  that  these  words  be 
true  in  all  things  concerning  the  Godhead  of  Christ,  Deus 
erat  verbum*,  like  unto  God,  and  very  God ;  so  must  I  be- 
lieve this,  Verbtm  caro  factum  est^,  John  i.,  Christ  to  be  in  John  i. 
all  things  like  unto  man,  and  very  true  man  in  all  things, 
except  sin.   And  as  the  scripture  proveth  these  two  natures 
to  be  unite  and  knit  in  one  person,  and  that  God  and  man 
is  but  one  Christ ;  so  proveth  it  likewise  the  qualities  of  the 
one  nature  to  be  contrary  unto  the  qualities  of  the  other 
nature :  the  one  mortal,  the  other  immortal ;  the  one  to  be 
buried  in  the  sepulchre,  the  other  to  resuscitate  the  insen- 
sible and  dead  body,  xxvii.  xxix.,"  Mark  xv.,  Luke  xxiii.,  [Matt. 
John  xix. ;  the  one  nature  visible  to  be  taken  after  forty  xxviii.] 
days  of  his  resurrection  from  the  earth  into  heavens,  Mark  xvi. 
xvi..  Acts  [i.],  the  other  nature  invisible,  to  continue  with  xxiv^ 
his  elects  in  the  church  until  the  world's  end,  Matth.  XXVllI.  XX. 

He  that  knoweth  thus  by  the  scripture,  that  the  one  Awt^i."^' 
nature  of  Christ,  very  man,  is  taken  out  of  the  world,  and  '"^ 
shall  not  be  in  the  world  till  the  great  day  of  judgment.  Acts  Acts  in. 
iii.,  cannot  be  persuaded,  contrary  unto  the  word  of  God, 
that  the  same  body  may  be  naturally  and  corporally  under  the 
form  of  bread ;  but  will  diligently,  in  case  the  scripture  seem 
by  words  to  prove  the  same,  search  how  that  place  may  be 
agreed  with  the  other,  that  manifestly  repugneth  the  presence 
of  Christ's  body ;  and  so  agree  them,  that  no  contrariety 
may  be  admitted  in  the  scripture  :  for  if  one  place  be  false, 
there  is  none  true,  which  were  a  blasphemy  to  say.  The 
prophet  David  thus  commendeth  the  scripture,  Psalm  xix.,  Psai.  xix. 

[*  The  word  was  God.]  [®  The  word  was  made  flesh.] 

p  So  printed  in  the  original.] 

1  8 
[hooper. J 


114 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Leon  Domini  perfecta,  convertens  animas ;  testimonium  Domini 
verum,  imperitis  sapientiam  suppeditans.  Decreta  Domini 
recta  smt,  cor  eoohilarantia ;  prceceptum  Domini  repurgatum, 
illuminans  oculos'^.  Therefore  there  must  be  as  good  heed 
given  unto  the  meaning  of  the  words  as  unto  the  words ;  or 
else  they  illuminate  not  the  conscience,  but  rather  darken 
the  conscience,  and  lead  it  into  all  false  doctrine  and  de- 
testable heresies ;  as  we  may  see  here  in  those  words  of  the 

Matt.  xxvi.  Lord's  supper,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  Matth.  xxvi. :  leaving 
Christ's  meaning  plain,  and  constraining  the  letter,  forcing 
it  to  serve  a  wicked  purpose,  men  would  make  the  people 
believe  that  these  words  consecrated  the  bread  into  the 
natural  body  of  Christ,  and  telleth  the  people,  that  though 
it  repugn  never  so  much  unto  reason,  yet  it  repugneth  not 
unto  faith,  which  believeth  every  thing  against  reason.  Christ, 
saith  they,  spake  these  words,  and  made  his  body  of  the 
bread,  and  bid  us  do  the  same.  Lo,  these  be  they  where- 
with all  this  alteration  of  bread  is  made,  the  substance 
thereof  turned  into  the  substance  of  Christ's  body,  Hoc  est 
corpus  meum.  Dispute  not  how,  believe  the  words,  and 
leave  reason.     Say  vdth  the  blessed  Virgin,  Ecce  ancilla 

Luke  i.  Domini'',  Luke  i.  She  held  herself  contented,  when  she  knew 
by  the  word  of  God,  that  by  divine  operation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  she  should  be  the  mother  of  God's  only  Son.  She 
stayed  herself  by  faith  in  the  promise,  and  committed  the 
means  and  doing  thereof  unto  God.  So,  say  they,  ye  must 
hold  captive  all  your  reason,  and  think  that  God  is  able  to 
do  it :  believe,  and  it  sufficeth.  God  is  able  to  do  all 
things,  as  indeed  he  can ;  and  all  these  words  be  true  that 
they  persuade  the  people  withal,  if  they  were  placed  aright, 
and  applied  to  prove  a  true  conclusion,  as  they  be  alleged 
to  staUish  a  false  and  detestable  heresy.  God  could  have 
given  man  wings  to  fly,  as  he  gave  unto  the  birds  of  the  air, 
if  he  would ;  but  he  would  not,  therefore  he  could  not : 
Quia  ommia  quwcunque  voluit,  fecit  in  coelo  et  in  terra^. 

P  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  converting  the  soul :  the  testimony 
of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple.  The  statutes  of  the  Lord 
are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart:  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure, 
enlightening  the  eyes.    Psal.  xix.  7,  8.] 

P  Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord.    Luke  i.  38.] 
P  For  whatsoever  the  Lord  pleased,  that  did  he  in  heaven  and  in 
earth.   Psal.  cxxxv.  6.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


115 


And  as  for  the  literal  senses  of  these  words,  Hoc  est  cor- 
pus mewm,  which  they  say  must  be  understand  without  any 
trope  or  figure,  proveth  nothing.  Christ  called  himself  a  John  x. 
door,  John  x. ;  a  vine,  John  xv. ;  and  yet  was  neither  door  °  " 
nor  vine,  except  ye  understand  by  a  door  the  only  gate 
into  heaven,  and  by  the  vine  the  hquor  of  grace,  that  com- 
forteth  every  troubled  conscience,  and  quencheth  the  ire 
and  displeasure  of  God  the  Father  against  us  for  our  sins. 
So  likewise  in  these  words.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  there  is 
none  other  thing  to  be  understand  by  them,  but  that  bread 
represented  unto  his  apostles,  not  only  his  precious  body, 
but  also  the  manner  how  and  wherefore  it  should  be  torn 
and  rent  upon  the  cross :  and  as  they  themselves  brake  the 
bread  between  them,  so  were  they  the  cause  that  Christ's 
body  was  broken  and  slain  upon  the  cross  ;  and  that  by  the 
means  and  use  of  this  sacrament,  there  might  be  always 
in  the  church  of  Christ  a  token  of  God's  mercy  towards  us, 
and  a  remembrance  of  that  glorious  body  that  sustained 
most  vile  death  for  the  sin  of  the  world.  Howbeit,  the 
bread  was  no  more  the  body,  nor  the  wine  his  blood,  than 
Christ  was  a  lamb,  as  John  called  him,  Ecce  agnus  Dei,  qui  3ohi\\. 
tollit  peccata  mundi'^,  John  i.  So,  though  he  said  the  wine 
was  his  blood,  and  the  bread  his  body,  he  meant  none  other- 
wise but  that  it  represented  his  body;  and  he  that  corporally, 
with  true  repentance,  did  eat  of  that  corporal  bread  and 
corporal  wine  in  faith,  did  eat  spiritually  Christ's  body  and 
blood. 

And  if  thou  confer  Matthew  and  Mark  with  Luke 
and  Paul,  thou  shalt  find  that  these  words  cannot  be  so 
grossly  taken,  as  men  say,  without  trope  or  figure.  Whereas 
Matthew  saith,  xxvi.,  and  Mark  xiv.,  M  accepto  poculo.  Matt.  xxvi. 
gratiis  actis,  dedit  illis  dicens,  Bibite  ex  eo  omnes,  hie  est  enim  '^^^ 
sanguis  mens,  qui  est  novi  testammti,  qui  pro  multis  effunditur 
in  remissionem  peccatorum^ ;  Luke  and  Paul  saith,  xxii., 
1  Cor.  xi..  Hoc  poculum  novum  testamentum  est  in  meo  san-  i  Cor.  xi. 

Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 
John  i.  29.] 

[°  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to  them,  say- 
ing, Drink  ye  all  of  it,  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  new  testament,  which 
is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Matt.] 


8—2 


116 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


guine^.  Here  Luke  and  Paul  saith  plainly  that  the  cup  was 
the  new  testament,  and  attributeth  the  same  to  the  cup 
that  Matthew  and  Mark  attributeth  unto  the  wine,  and 
saith  that  the  cup,  and  not  the  wine  contained  in  the  cup,  is 
the  new  testament  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  was  to  be 
shed  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

These  words  of  Luke  and  Paul  they  will  understand  by 
a  figure,  and  let  the  letter  pass.  What  authority  have  they 
to  use  the  help  and  aid  of  a  trope  in  these  words  of  Luke 
and  Paul!  Whereas  they  say  plainly.  Hoc  poculmm  est 
testamentum  nomm  in  meo  sarngmne^^  and  expound  est  in 
this  place  per  metonymiam,  and  that  Christ  meant  not  that 
the  cup  was  the  new  testament,  but  the  wine  contained  in 
the  cup.  Of  equity  and  right,  if  they  can  take  such  licence 
to  expound  those  texts  that  maketh  against  them,  they  must 
be  contented  that  other  men  use  them  likewise,  as  many 
times  as  necessity  requireth  by  contrariety  of  texts,  or  when 
without  the  aid  of  a  trope  we  cannot  save  our  faith  inviolated. 
But  it  may  fortune,  they  will  say,  that  Luke  and  Paul  must 
be  understood  by  Matthew  and  Mark.  Wherefore  not 
rather  Matthew  and  Mark  by  the  words  of  Luke  and  Paul  ? 
Forasmuch  as  they  do  more  manifestly  declare  the  supper 
of  the  Lord  than  Matthew  and  Mark;  and  likewise  these 
words  better  agreeth  with  the  nature  and  propriety  of  a 
sacrament,  et  rerum  natura  quce  in  sacramento  reprmmtatw"', 
than  the  words  of  Matthew  and  Mark.  Mark  the  word 
of  Luke  and  Paul,  and  thou  shalt  perceive  plainly  that  this 
pronoun  {hoc)  cannot  be  referred  unto  the  cup  only,  but  unto 
all  the  action  of  the  whole  ^  supper,  wherein  the  Lord  insti- 
tuted a  perpetual  memory  and  sacrament  of  his  glorious  pas- 
sion and  death.  But  in  case  this  pronoun  {hoc)  could  be 
referred  unto  the  bread  and  wine,  as  it  cannot,  yet  can  no 
man  expound  these  words  of  the  supper  without  a  trope ; 
for  there  is  more  difficulty  in  this  verb  {est)  than  in  the 
pronoun  {hoc).  For  in  case,  when  Christ  said  unto  his 
disciples,   "This  is  my  body,"  delivering  them  the  bread, 


P  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood.] 

P  And  the  nature  of  things  which  is  represented  in  a  sacrament.] 

[*  Whole :  hole,  in  the  original.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


117 


it  was  indeed,  as  Christ  said,  his  body,  before  he  called  it 
so;  (for  everything  is  called  by  his  proper  name,  after  that 
it  hath  his  being,  and  not  before :  the  light  was  not  called 
the  day,  neither  the  darkness  night,  until  such  time  as 
God  had  made  the  sun  and  the  moon,  and  appointed 
each  of  them  their  proper  office,  Gen.  i. ;  and  the  Son  of  Gen.  i. 
God  was  not  called  the  Son  of  Man,  until  such  time  as 
he  received  the  nature  of  man  in  the  belly  of  the  bless- 
ed virgin :  wherefore)  if  this  verb  (est),  in  these  words  of 
the  Lord'*  Supper,  must  needs  be  simply  and  plainly  re- 
ferred unto  the  bread  and  wine  of  the  sacrament,  the 
bread  and  the  wine  was  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
before  Christ  called  it  so,  his  body  and  blood,  and  before 
he  spake  these  words  that  they  call  words  of  consecra- 
tion, Hoc  est  corpus  meum. 

-When  then  began  these  external  signs  of  bread  and 
wine,  that  he  gave  unto  his  disciples,  to  be  his  body  and 
blood  ?  And  what  were  the  words  that  altered  the  substance 
of  bread  and  wine  into  the  substance  of  his  most  precious 
body  and  blood?  It  was  not  this  word  {est)  that  did  it; 
for  if  it  had  not  been  his  body  before  he  called  it  so,  Christ 
would  never  have  named  it  so ;  for  he  cannot  lie,  he  useth 
not  to  misname  any  thing.  He  leaveth  fraud  and  false 
invented  terms  unto  the  devil,  and  such  as  mean  no  good 
faith  by  their  words.  Now  if  it  were  his  body,  very  flesh, 
blood,  and  bones  indeed,  what  words  of  the  scripture,  or 
what  words  used  Christ  to  make  this  alteration?  Perad- 
venture  he  whistled*  some  other  words,  and  put  a  piece 
of  bread  in  his  sleeve',  and  there  secretly  consecrated 
his  precious  body,  and  then  said,  "  Take  ye,  eat  ye,  for 
this  is  my  body."  And  so  saith  some  of  these  new  papish 
church,  where  before  transubstantiation  of  bread  was  never 
spoken  of. 

The  mother  of  this  idolatry  was  Rome,  and  the  father 
unknown.  A  bastard  is  this  transubstantiation  doubtless. 
Lanfrancus'^,  that  enemy  of  truth  and  true  religion,  that  wrote 

1^*  Whisselyd. — *  SlyfFe,  in  the  original.] 

Lanfrancus,  Prior  of  St  Bee,  afterwards  abbot  of  St  Stephen  s,  at 
Caen,  and  in  1020  made  Abp.  of  Canterbury.  He  opposed  Berenger's 
opinions  on  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the  council  of  Rome  (1059,)  and  in 
some  other  councils,  and  died  in  1089.    See  Labbe's  councils.] 


118 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


against  Berengarius^,  Paschasius*,  Guymundus^  Guydo  Are- 
tinus*,  Algerus  Monachus  Corbeiensis^,  Adelmannus  Episco- 
pus*,  Hugo^,  et  his  recentiores^  Lombertus',  Comestor^",  et 
Papa  Innocentius",  with  other,  begat  this  wicked  woman, 
transubstantiation.  Whereas  Christ,  neither  his  apostles,  no, 
neither  long  after  unto  the  council  of  Vercellense  in  the 
time  of  Leo  IX.  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  1062,  and 
300  years  after  the  death  of  Bede^'.  A  wondrous  matter 
and  an  horrible  practice  of  the  devil,  that  contrary  unto 
the  scripture  and  unto  the  old  fathers  this  mystery  is 
happened  unto  the  sacrament,  that  these  masters  of  the 
latter  days  fight  so  sore  to  defend,  an  accident  without  a  sub- 

\}  Berengarius,  Archdeacon  of  Angers.  He  denied  the  corporal  pre- 
sence in  the  eucharist,  for  which  he  was  condemned  in  several  councUs, 
and  on  more  than  one  occasion  retracted,  and  again  relapsed ;  died  1088.] 
P  Paschasius,  (Radbert,)  a  Benedictine,  who  became  abbot  of 
Corbey.  He  wrote  a  treatise  on  the  eucharist,  in  which  he  asserted 
that  Christ  was  present  in  the  sacrament  in  the  same  body  which  he 
took  of  the  virgin  Marj-,  and  in  which  he  ascended  into  heaven.  At  the 
desire  of  Charles  the  Bald,  Bertram  wrote  against  his  views,  as  did  also 
John  Scotus,  and  others.  He  was  said  to  be  the  first  who  asserted  the 
real  presence ;  but  others  deny  this.    Died  about  865.] 

P  Gvymundus,  (or  Guitmundus,)  a  Benedictine  monk,  afterwards 
bishop  of  Aversa,  who  wrote  on  the  reality  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  in  the  sacrament,  against  Berenger.] 

Aretinus,  (Guydo,)  a  celebrated  Benedictine,  better  known  as  the 
inventor  of  musical  notes  than  for  his  theological  writings ;  about  1028.3 

Algerus,  a  monk  of  Clugny,  who  wrote  on  the  eucharist  against 
Berenger ;  he  died  about  1131.] 

Adelmannus,  bishop  of  Bresse,  who  also  wrote  on  the  eucharist 
against  Berenger;  died  1062.] 

Hugo,  perhaps  Hugh  de  St  Victor,  who  wrote  on  the  sacraments ; 
but  Lombertus  speaks  of  him  as  being  in  error.  He  was  said  to  hold  the 
opinions  of  St  Augustine.] 

And  more  recently.] 
P  Lombertus,  the  well  known  Peter  Lombard,  Master  of  the  Sentences.] 
Comestor,  Peter  the  Eater,  born  at  Troyes,  died  a  canon  of 
St  Victor,  at  Paris,  1198,  author  of  historical  and  other  works.] 

Innocentius,  {the  Ilird)  Pope,  who  wrote  on  the  sacrifice  of  the 
mass,  &c.  in  the  13th  century.] 

Council  of  Vercelli  held  under  Leo  9th,  in  which,  as  well  as 
in  those  of  Rome  and  of  Paris,  Berenger's  doctrines  were  condemned.] 

Bede  the  Venerable  died  736.  His  works  were  published  in 
eight  vols,  folio,  at  Basle  and  Cologne,  1612.  See  his  Ecclesiastical 
History,  published  at  Cambridge,  1644.] 


BISHOP  OF   WINCHESTER  S  BOOK. 


119 


ject,  and  hath  taken  from  the  supper  the  thing  that  we  see, 
we  touch,  we  taste,  we  eat,  we  drink,  and  we  swallow  through 
the  throat,  to  say,  bread  and  wine,  as  the  apostles  did, 
and  yet  say  it  is  no  bread  nor  wine.  If  it  be  altered, 
some  were  best,  that  best  can  maintain  a  lie,  to  shew  how 
and  by  what  words  it  is  changed.  By  these  words,  hoc 
est,  it  is  not  done.  For  no  man  can  do  more  by  the 
virtue  of  those  words  than  Christ  himself.  Now  Christ  by 
these  words  declared  that  it  was  his  body,  and  not  made 
his  body.  Then  must  ye  shew  the  other  words  that  wrought 
this  marvellous  transubstantiation ;  or  else  we  should  make 
Christ  a  liar,  who  is  the  fountain  of  all  verity  and  truth. 

But  such  as  defend  this  alteration  of  bread,  rather  than 
they  would  say  that  by  the  words  of  Christ,  Hoc  est  corpm 
meum,  were  not  made  the  very  body  of  Christ,  they  will  ex- 
pound this  verb  {est)  per  {fit,)  and  say  thus:  that  by  the 
power  of  God  and  virtue  of  his  word  spoken  by  the  minister, 
the  substance  of  the  bread  is  altered  into  the  substance  of 
Christ's  body;  so  is  Christ's  body  made  present  by  this  word 
{est.)  But  this  interpretation  the  letter  without  a  trope 
will  not  admit,  neither  that  est  should  be  expounded  by  {fit,) 
neither  that  the  bread  should  be  made  the  body  of  Christ, 
but  that  it  is  already  the  body  of  Christ  before  these  words 
be  spoken.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum.  If  it  be  not  before  he 
call  it  the  body,  why  doth  he  lie  then,  and  call  it  otherwise 
than  it  is?  If  it  be  the  body,  as  he  saith  it  is,  by  what 
words  of  the  scripture  hath  he  made  the  bread  the  body, 
and  the  wine  the  blood?  By  these  words,  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum,  there  is  neither  bread  neither  wine  altered.  But 
the  text  eaith,  that  the  bread  is  the  body  and  the  wine  the 
blood;  which  this  new  doctrine  will  not  admit,  that  bread 
should  be  both  bread  and  also  the  glorious  body  of  Christ, 
for  then  Duo  corpora  essent  simul  in  eodem  loco^^ :  which 
indeed  reason  will  not  grant ;  no  more  than  it  is  possible 
that  a  true  body  may  be,  and  yet  occupy  no  place. 

Such  as  would  defend  a  wicked  and  most  damnable  pur- 
pose, good  reader,  clean  contrary  to  the  nature  of  this  verb 
{est),  expounded  per  {fit),  yet  would  they  blind  the  people, 

Two  bodies  would  be  together  in  the  same  place.] 
Per  naturam  duo  corpora  non  possunt  simul  esse  in  eodem  loco. 
Jo.  Duns  Scoti,  Lib.  iv.  Dist.  x.  Qu.  ii.  folio  60,  Paris,  1613.  R. 


120 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


and  say  they  use  plainly  without  trope  Christ's  words,  and 
with  open  mouth  cry  out  upon  such  as  both  reverently, 
godly,  and  learnedly,  both  write,  use,  and  speak  of  the  sa- 
craments, and  say  they  be  heretics,  people  departed  from 
God  and  all  virtue,  when  they  themselves  use  such  a  trope, 
as  the  scripture,  from  the  beginning  to  the  latter  end,  never 
useth.  See  their  trope,  in  these  words.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum. 
Christ  said.  Take  ye,  eat  of  this,  this  is  my  body :  the 
Pope's  doctrine  saith,  Under  the  form  of  bread  is  Christ's 
body.  Thou  seest  that  Christ  said  not  so,  but  said,  that  the 
bread  was  his  body;  as  no  doubt  it  was,  if  Christ's  meaning 
be  taken,  as  well  as  his  words,  as  it  must  be  of  every  christian 
man :  and  where  Christ  said  est,  they  understand  fit,  and 
teach  Christ  to  speak,  as  though  he  could  not  for  lack  of 
words  convenient  express  his  mind  in  this  matter. 

But  these  words  of  the  supper  diligently  considered,  and 
one  evangelist  conferred  with  the  other  with  judgment,  it 
may  easUy  be  seen  that  these  words.  Hoe  est  corpus  meum, 
make  no  more  for  the  transubstantiation  of  the  bread  and 
the  wine,  than  In  nova  fert  animus  mutatas  dicere  formas 
corpora^,  proveth  Verbum  caro  factum  est,  et  hahitavit  in 
nobis^.  For  if  the  bread  and  the  wine  be  not  really  and 
substantially  the  corporal  and  natural  body  of  Christ,  this 
word  est  proveth  nothing  at  all ;  and  when  they  interpretate 
these  words.  Hoc  est  corpus  mewm,  and  say  that  under  the 
term  of  bread  is  the  body  of  Christ,  I  will  not  admit  that 
interpretation,  forasmuch  as  it  hath  no  good  ground  neither 
in  the  scripture,  neither  in  the  ancient  doctors,  as  I  shall 
declare  hereafter.  But  because  they  accuse  other  men  for 
the  use  of  a  trope,  I  would  not  that  they  offend  in  the 
same :  I  require  them  to  bide  still  in  the  letter,  and  to 
leave  these  glosses,  under  the  form  of  bread,  with  the  bread, 
in  the  bread,  or  under  the  bread.  Christ  used  none  of  these 
terms,  nor  yet  the  holy  fathers,  but  plainly  said,  "  This  is 
my  body,  that  is  broken  for  you."  And  whereas  Christ  says, 
"  this  is,"  they  say,  "  under  this  form."  Here  is  a  very 
plain  trope  and  figurative  locution.  Men  saith  that  they 
admit  metdnymian,  and  say,  under  the  form  of  bread  is 

\}  My  mind  leads  me  to  speak  of  bodies  transformed  into  new  shapes. 
—Ovid.  Metam.] 

P  The  word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us.   John  i.  14.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


121 


the  true  body  of  Christ,  though  it  be  as  false  as  God  is 
true  that  they  say.  A  dumb  thing  without  senses  is  no 
harbour  nor  dwelling-place  for  Christ's  precious  body,  nor 
for  the  Spirit  of  God ;  but  the  penitent  and  sorrowful  heart 
of  the  Christian  by  faith  lodgeth  this  ghostly  and  spiritual 
guest.  The  soul  of  man,  created  unto  the  similitude  of 
God,  by  faith  is  made  the  temple  of  God,  to  live  in  all 
virtue  and  godly  conversation,  following  the  steps  of  Christ, 
and  to  exalt  the  truth  of  his  afflicted  and  persecuted  church, 
till  he  come.  Let  these  that  defend  this  alteration  of  bread, 
do  that  themselves  which  they  require  of  other,  and  in- 
terpretate  the  words  of  Christ  without  any  trope ;  and 
then  they  may  the  better  accuse  other  men  that  use  a 
trope,  in  case  they  suppose  their  trope  and  manner  of 
speech  under  the  form  of  bread  may  better  be  made  good^ 
by  the  manner  and  phrase*  of  the  scripture,  than  this  trope 
that  we  use  to  call  a  sacrament  by  the  name  of  the  thing 
that  is  signified  by  the  sacrament ;  the  supper  of  the  Lord, 
the  Lord's  body,  present  at  the  contemplation  of  faith,  in 
spirit,  spiritually  and  not  corporally. 

Forasmuch  as  I  trust  I  have  sufficiently  declared  that  the 
papists  doth  use  a  trope,  I  would  they  should  name  their 
trope,  and  prove  it  to  be  true  by  the  scripture  that  may 
warrant  their  trope  to  be  good :  they  may  not  confirm 
their  sayings  with  an  old  wife's  tale,  and  say  that  the  holy 
fathers  believed  so ;  for  the  contrary  will  be  proved,  that 
the  ancient  fathers  believed  as  Christ  taught :  for  both  they 
and  every  man  must  be  judged  by  the  scripture. 

Now  likewise  to  the  other  part  of  the  sacrament.  If 
they  will  refer  this  pronoun  hoc  only  unto  the  sign  et  ad 
rem  symbolicam^,  behold  Luke  and  Paul,  and  thou  shalt  see 
plainly  that  neither  Christ  called  the  wine  that  the  apostles 
drank  his  blood,  neither  the  priest,  if  he  believe  Luke  and 
Paul,  should  not  say  that  under  the  form  of  wine  is  Christ's 
blood,  but  under  the  form  of  the  cup  or  chalice  is  the  blood 
of  Christ ;  for  Christ's  words  be  these :  Hoc  poculunt  est 
nomm  testamentum  in  meo  sanguine^     Why  doth  the  priest 

P  Good :  in  the  original,  godd.] 

Phrase  :  in  the  original,  fraunse.] 

And  to  the  symbolical  thing.] 
P  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood.    1  Cor.  xi.  25.] 


122 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


speak  of  the  form  of  wine,  when  Christ  spake  of  the  cup, 
and  not  of  the  wine?  If  there  be  no  trope  to  be  admitted  in 
the  words  of  the  supper,  (I  will  not  admit  this  figure  con- 
tinens  pro  contenio^,)  let  them  prove  the  golden  chalice  to 
be  transubstantiated  into  the  blood,  and  say  there  re- 
maineth  nor  gold  nor  silver ;  the  substance  of  the  gold  is 
changed  into  the  substance  of  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  then 
let  them  drink  the  chalice  as  well  as  the  wine,  and  doubt 
no  more  of  God's  power  in  the  cup  than  in  the  bread. 
For  he  that  said  by  the  bread,  "  This  is  my  body,"  said 
likewise  at  the  same  time,  that  the  cup  was  the  new 
testament,  and  bid  them  drink  of  it, — them  all.  And  if 
Hoc  est  corpus  meum  can  alter  the  substance  of  the  bread, 
then  can  Hie  calix  est  n<ycum  testamentum  alter  the  substance 
of  the  chahce;  and  thus,  as  they  eat  the  bread,  they  should 
drink  also  the  chalice ;  for  these  words  of  the  cup  were 
spoken  by  Christ,  both  God  and  man.  The  same  word 
spoken  by  the  same  apostle  is  in  one  spirit,  at  one  time, 
for  one  purpose,  to  one  and  to  the  same  end.  And  he 
that  can  change  the  bread  with  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  can 
change  the  chalice  with  Hie  est  calix  novum  testamentum, 
I  trow ;  or  Christ  peradventure  and  his  words  availed  not 
as  much  in  the  gold,  as  in  the  bread.    And  that  were 

Psai.  cxiviii.  wonder ;  for  the  Psalmist  saith  :  Dixit,  et  facta  sunt'^,  Psal. 

cxlviii.  He  made  all  the  world  with  a  word,  and  of  no- 
thing :  and  now  should  his  mighty  power  be  abridged  ? 
No,  good  christian  reader !  He  can  do  now  as  he  hath 
done  beforetime,  make  the  thing  that  he  purposeth  to  make. 
But  to  make  of  bread  his  natural,  physical,  and  corporal 
body,  he  never  meant  it:  if  he  had  done,  he  would  have 
so  made  it,  that  thou  shouldst  have  seen  it,  as  thou  seest 
heaven  and  earth.  He  would  not  be  ashamed,  and  hide 
his  body,  now  glorified,  more  than  he  was  ashamed  to 
betray  himself,  and  open  his  own  person  unto  the  wicked 

Johnxviii.  company  sent  from  the  high  priests  and  Pharisees,  John 
xviii.  It  is  not,  therefore,  as  they  say.  For  the  scripture 
doth  not  testify,  that  our  Saviour  Christ  Jesus  ever  took 
any  other  nature,  than  the  nature  of  man  in  the  belly  of 
the  blessed  virgin   Mary ;   and  until  such  time  as  thou 

That  which  containeth,  for  the  contents.] 
P  He  commanded,  and  they  were  created.] 


BISHOP   OP  WINCHESTEr"'s  BOOK. 


123 


seest  the  chalice  eaten  as  well  as  the  bread,  believe  it 
not^,  that  the  bread  is  altered  more  than  the  chalice. 
For  as  of  the  substance  of  an  old  chalice  sometime,  though 
mass  hath  been  often  said  withal,  is  made  new  groats ; 
so  of  a  new  singing  loaf,  that  hath  been  consecrated  with 
Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  sometime  hath  creeping  worms  been 
engendered,  yea,  and  sometime  cast  into  the  fire  and  burned, 
as  Benno  Cardinalis  writeth  of  Gregorie  VII.,  otherwise 
called  Hil[de]brandus*  Good  proof  hath  been  taken,  that 
bread  remaineth  after  the  consecration ;  for  by  the  sacra- 
ment poisoned  there  was  an  emperor,  and  a  bishop  of  Rome 
poisoned^.  In  what  subject  should  this  poison  remain  I 
In  some  subject,  doubtless ;  for  Aristotle''s  school  will  admit* 
no  accident  to  be  without  his  subject,  neither  admit  any 
accident  to  perish  without  his  substance.  And  when  these 
men  say'',  the  mould  and  rot  of  the  bread  is  nothing,  every 
man  that  hath  his  senses  knoweth  it  is  a  manifest  lie : 
for  so  long  it  may  be  kept,  that  it  will  run  round  about 
the  altar :  yea,  if  man  had  no  senses  at  all,  and  knew  the 
scripture,  it  were  sufficient  to  prove  that  bread  remained 
still  after  the  consecration.  1  Cor.  xi.  And  there  is  no  i  co""- 
papist  among  them  all,  but  will  grant  this  most  foolish  and 
fond  contradiction,  something^  to  be  nothing.  Force  them  to 
answer  what  it  is  that  corrupteth,  what  it  is  that  is  moulded : 
then  will  they  say  it  is  nothing,  though  ye  see  the  vermin 
engendered  of  the  bread  creep  before  your  face.  If  this 
proposition  of  Aristotle  should  be  disputed,  An  generatio 

P  Believe  it  not :  in  the  original,  belyued  not.] 

Johannes  Portuensis  Episcopus,  qui  iatimus  fuerat  a  secretis  Hil- 
debrandi,  ascendit  in  ambonem  beati  Petri,  et  inter  multa,  audiente  clero 
et  populo,  ait:  Tale  quid  fecit  Hildebrandus  et  nos,  unde  deberemua 
vivi  incendi:  significans  de  sacramento  corporis  Domini,  quod  Hilde- 
brandus, responsa  divina  quserens  contra  Imperatorem,  fertur  injeeisse 
igni,  contradicentibus  Cardinalibus  qui  assistebant  ei.  See  Vita  et  Gesta 
Hildebrandi,  authore  Benone  Cardinali,  in  Brown's  Fasciculus  Rerurn, 
Vol.  I.  p.  79,  Londini,  1690.  See  also  Innoc.  III.  Op.  Col.  1575,  Tom.  i. 
p.  880.] 

P  Henry  the  Vlth.  Emperor,  and  Pope  Victor  the  Illrd.] 
Admitted,  in  original.] 
That  say,  in  original.] 
Something  :  in  original,  some  thynk.] 


124 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


unius  sit  corruptio  alterim^,  and  they  would  say  that  the 
generation  of  worms  in  the  sacrament  were  engendered  of 
the  corruption  of  nothing,  he  would  not  be  able  in  Aris- 
totle's school  to  answer  unto  one  argument. 

Further,  it  is  such  a  blasphemy  against  God,  that  every 
christian  man  ought  to  abhor  it,  to  say  that  any  creature 
can  have  his  being  of  nothing.  This  is  properly  the  Epi- 
theton^  of  God  to  be  of  nothing,  but  of  himself;  and  if  they 
say  God  hath  made  these  corruptions  in  the  sacrament  of 
nothing,  it  repugneth  the  faith  that  we  have  in  the  scripture. 
Gen.  ii.  Gencsis  ii.  Igitur  perfecti  sunt  coeli  et  terra  et  omnis  ornatm 
eorum^.  So  that  after  those  six  days,  wherein  God  made  the 
matter  of  all  things,  sith  that  time  never  thing  in  this  world 
was  made  of  nothing:  therefore  we  must,  for  the  reverence  and 
honour  of  our  faith,  seek  a  father*  for  these  putrefactions  in 
the  sacrament.  It  shall  be  the  bread,  say  what  they  will, 
both  by  the  judgment  of  the  scripture,  and  also  by  reason. 

As  for  their  terms  that  they  cry,  "  Fie  upon  such  man- 
ner^ of  speech,  and  fie  upon  them  heretics  that  believe 
it  is  but  bread  and  no  sacrament,  as  long  as  it  is  kept  in 
the  pyx,"  it  forceth  not.  God  forgive  them  !  they  know 
not  what  they  say :  the  devil  hath  closed  their  eyes;  they 
have  neither  judgment  of  senses,  nor  reason.  But  this 
false  doctrine  Lanfrancus  brought  devilishly  into  the  church, 
after  that  he  had  obtained  of  Leo  IXth.,  that  the  good 
and  godly  man  Berengarius  should  be  condemned  for  an 
heretic^,  an  excellent  clerk  of  great  learning  and  notable 
virtues,  as  ^Platina  maketh  mention  in  vita  Joan.  XV., 
who  taught  and  wrote  that  the  corporal  presence  of  Christ's 
body  could  not  be  in  the  sacrament. 

These  men  hath  conceived  in  themselves  a  certain  persua- 

\}  Whether  the  generation  of  one  thing  become  the  corruption  of 
another.  See  Aristotelis  Op.  Tom.  i.  De  generat.  et  corrupt.  Lib.  ii. 
cap.  4.] 

P  'ETTi'^eroi',  epithet.] 

P  Thus  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and  all  the  host  of 
them.] 

Sek  a  fathere,  in  the  original.]  Man  of,  in  original.] 

Concil.  Omn.  Colonise  Agrip.  1667,  Tom.  iii.  p.  577.] 
\]  Odilum  Abbatem  Cluniacensem,  et  Berengarium  Turonensem, 

viros  sanctitate  et  doctrina  insignes.  Platinse  Pontific.  Vitse.  Paris,  1530. 

folio  164.] 


BISHOP  OP   WINCHESTER'S  BOOK. 


125 


sion  of  new  and  late  invented  doctrine,  and  holdeth  the  same 
as  a  principle  of  infallible  verity.  And  rather  than  they  would 
depart  one  jot  from  this  adulterous  doctrine,  they  will  grant 
an  heresy,  not  only  foolish,  but  also  detestable,  a  worm  or 
mould  in  the  bread  to  be  engendered  of  nothing :  which 
is  so  far  wide  from  the  faith  of  a  christian  man,  that  it 
needeth  no  probation.  God,  (saith  Athanasius,)  the  Father, 
a  nullo  est  factm,  mc  creatus,  nec  genitus*  God,  when  he 
would  destroy  the  world  with  water,  by  miracle  gathered 
together  two  of  every  kind  that  lived  into  the  ark  of  Noah, 
that  they  might  in  their  kind  replenish  the  world  again,  as 
we  at  this  day  see,  and  made  not  every  thing  again  of 
nothing.  No  ;  he  made  after  the  six  days  at  the  beginning 
never  a  thing  of  nothing ;  but  that  the  substance  of  one 
thing  was  made  by  and  of  the  substance  of  other  creatures, 
evesy  thing  in  his  kind ;  man,  by  God  and  man  ;  beast, 
by  God  and  beast ;  Christ,  himself  God  and  man,  by  God 
and  the  blessed  virgin  Mary,  The  mould  and  beasts  that 
are  engendered  in  the  bread,  if  there  be  no  matter  whereof 
they  should  be  engendered,  they  were  no  creatures. 

But  what  learning  is  this  to  be  preached  and  defended 
among  the  people,  good  christian  reader,  to  prove  something 
nothing?  God  of  his  infinite  goodness  restore  again  his  holy 
word  unto  the  people,  and  the  right  use  of  his  sacraments, 
and  give  grace  unto  the  people  to  understand  the  manner  of 
speech  used  in  the  scripture,  and  to  admit  that  trope  and 
figure  in  this  holy  supper  of  the  Lord,  that  best  appertaineth 
unto  the  nature  of  a  sacrament,  most  commonly  used  and 
familiar  in  all  other  sacraments,  and  to  the  use  of  our  sacra- 
ments, by  the  scripture,  conferring  one  place  with  other ;  and 
not  to  send  to  the  high  priest  of  Egypt,  or  unto  the  book 
of  bishops'  decrees,  to  know  what  our  sacrament  mean.  Let 
us  search  the  scripture,  and  make  it  the  guide  of  our  study, 
as  David  did.  Psalm  cxix.  Lucerna  pedibus  meis  wrbum  Psai.  cxix. 
tuum,  et  lumen  semitis  meis^.  This  we  know,  that  as  the 
supper  of  the  Lord  is  a  sacrament  unto  us,  so  was  Pesah^" 

P  The  Father  is  made  of  none,  neither  created  nor  begotten.  The 
Creed  ascribed  to  Athanasius,  and  from,  him  called  the  Athanasian 
Creed.] 

Thy  word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  paths.] 
P"  Pesah,  nD2)  the  Passover.    Exod.  xii.  11.] 


126 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


unto  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  for  our  baptism  they  had 
circumcision. 

As  well  was  the  promise  of  eternal  life  made  unto  them 
as  unto  us ;  as  well  they  believed  to  be  saved  by  Christ 
as  we:  they  were  of  Christ's  church  as  well  as  we.  As 
well  was  Christ  delivered^  unto  them  in  the  use  of  their 
sacraments,  as  unto  us ;  but  not  so  openly,  because  he  was 
not  then  born,  nor  had  not  suffered  the  death  that  their 
sacraments  represented,  as  ours  do,  declaring  unto  us  what 
Christ  hath  done  for  us,  that  now  sitteth  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  the  Father:  so  that  the  sacraments  of  the  Old 
Testament  and  the  New  in  effect  be  one ;  and  give  a  right 
censure  and  judgment  of  the  one,  and  then  are  we  in- 
structed aright  in  both. 

For  as  all  the  promises  of  God,  from  this  unto  Adam, 
Gen.  iii.  Semen  mulieris  conteret  caput  serpentis".  Gen.  iii.,  unto  the 
Matt.xix.  last  and  final  promise  unto  the  apostles,  Sedehitis  vos  super 
sedes  jwdicantes  xii  tribus  JsmeP,  were  made  unto  the  church 
in  Christ,  and  for  Christ,  to  save  such  as  believed  from  the 
curse  and  malediction  of  Adam's  sin,  and  to  stablish  the 
weak  infirmities  of  those  that  received  by  faith  the  promise ; 
God  annexed  unto  the  promise  these  external  signs,  which  we 
call  sacraments,  that  they  might  set  before  our  eyes  the 
benefits  of  God's  mercy  due  unto  our  faith  in  Christ,  and 
were  as  seals  and  confirmations  of  God's  promises,  where  he 
warranted  and  assured  his  church  openly  that  he  would  be 
her  God,  and  she  to  be  his  spouse  for  ever,  made  her*  a 
dower  of  life  eternal,  and  gave  her  these  external  signs, 
wherein  she  might  always  exercise  her"*  faith,  and  in  spirit 
have  the  godly  conversation  of  Christ  when  she  would ;  as 
we  may  have  daily  in  the  use  of  the  sacraments,  though  not 
bodily,  yet  in  spirit.  And  as  verily  as  we  eat  and  drink 
Christ  in  the  holy  supper,  so  did  the  fathers  eat  Christ  in 
their  sacraments ;  no  less  Christ's  body  then  to  be  born, 
than  we  now  that  he  is  born  ;  then  to  come  in  the  flesh 
into  the  world,  and  now  in  the  flesh  departed  out  of  the 

P  Delivered :  delyuid,  in  original.] 

P  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head.] 
P  Ye  shall  sit  upon  thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 
Matt.  xix.  28.] 

Her :  here,  in  original.] 


BISHOP  OF   WINCHESTEB''s  BOOK. 


127 


world ;  as  St  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  x.  Omnes  eandem  escam  i  cor.  x. 
spiritualem  comedeiant,  et  omnes  eundem  potum  spiritualem 
bibebant.  Bibebmt  autem  de  spirituali  quae  illos  comitabatur 
petra.  Petra  mro  fuit  Ckrisius^.  He  teacheth  manifestly 
that  the  Fathers  ate  in  their  sacraments  Christ  to  come,  as 
well  as  we  that  be  after  his  birth  in  this  earth  and  vale  of 
misery.  This  was  Christ,  the  stone,  that  conjoined  the 
church  of  the  prophets'  time  with  the  church  of  the  apostles' 
times,  and  made  both  these  churches  one ;  two  in  external 
signs  and  sacraments,  one  in  effect,  to  be  saved  in  Christ, 
and  one  concerning  the  substance  and  effect  of  sacraments. 
I  would  allege  for  my  purpose  Saint  Augustine®,  who  un- 
derstandeth  and  expounded  one  way  and  by  one  figure 
and  trope  these  two  texts,  Petra  erat  Christus,  and  Hoc 
est  corpus  meum;  saving  that  our  faith  is  not  grounded 
upoH  St  Augustine  or  any  other  man,  but  upon  the  word 
of  God,  the  only  scripture  ;  and  also  because  I  mind  here- 
after to  declare  the  judgment  of  Augustine,  and  other  of 
the  holy  fathers,  concerning  this  matter,  because  they  make 
with  the  old  truth  against  this  new  papistry. 

But  first,  by  the  word  of  God  we  must  know  what 
the  nature  and  use  of  a  sacrament  is.  The  office  of  a 
sacrament  is  this  :  to  shew  unto  us  outwardly  that  the 
merits  of  Christ  is  made  ours,  for  the  promise  sake  which 
God  hath  made  unto  those  that  believe;  and  these  sacra- 
ments by  faith  doth  applicate  and  apply  outwardly  unto  him 
that  in  faith  receiveth  them  the  same  grace,  the  mercy, 
the  same  benefits  that  is  represented  by  the  sacraments,  but 
not  so  by  the  ministration  of  the  sacraments,  as  though  they 
that  receive  them  were  not  before  assured  of  the  same  graces 
and  benefits  represented  by  the  sacraments.  That  were  a 
manifest  error :  for  in  case  the  sacraments  could  give  us  very 
Christ,  the  promise  of  God  were  in  vain,  the  which  always 
appertain  unto  the  people  of  God  before  they  receive  any  sa- 

P  They  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat,  and  did  all  drink  the 
same  spiritual  drink ;  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed 
them,  and  that  Rock  was  Christ.] 

Nee  tamen  ait,  Petra  significabat  Christum,  sed  ait,  Petra  erat 
Christus. — Non  enim  Dominus  dubitavit  dicere.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum, 
cum  signum  daret  corporis  sui.  Aug.  Op.  Contra  Adimantum,  Cap.  12. 
Tom.  VI.  col.  189,  187,  Basiliee,  1543.] 


128 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


crament ;  but  they  be  the  testimonies  of  promise,  and  declare 
unto  us  for  an  infaUible  verity,  and  unto  the  church  of  Christ, 
that  we  be  the  people  that  God  hath  chosen  unto  his 
mercy,  and  that  by  faith  we  possessed  before  Christ ;  and 
in  faith,  friendship,  and  amity  with  God  we  receive  these 
sacraments,  which  are  nothing  else  but  a  badge  and  open 
sign  of  God's  favour  unto  us,  and  that  we  by  this  livery 
declare  ourselves  to  live  and  die  in  his  faith  against  the 
devil,  the  world,  and  sin.  But  he  that  supposeth  to  make 
Christ  his,  and  all  Christ's  merits,  by  the  receiving  of  the 
outward  sign  and  sacrament,  and  bringeth  not  Christ  in 
his  heart  to  the  sacrament,  he  may  make  himself  assured 
rather  of  the  devil  and  eternal  death,  as  Judas  and  Cain 

Matt.  xxvi.  did.  Matthew  xxvi.  Genesis  iv.  For  the  sacrament  maketh 
not  the  union,  peace,  and  concord  between  God  and  us,  but 
it  ratifieth,  stablisheth,  and  confirmeth  the  love  and  peace 
that  is  between  God  and  us  before  for  his  promise  sake. 

What  is  the  most  principal  signification,  and  to  what 
end  every  sacrament  was  ordained,  it  may  be  learned  best 

Mark  xvi.  by  the  promise  annexed  unto  the  sacraments.  Qui  crediderit, 
inquit  Ckristus,  et  haptizatus  fuerit,  salms  erif  Mar.  ult. 
Therefore  baptism  is  called  a  sacrament,  because  it  is 
annexed  unto  the  promise  of  eternal  joy,  to  testify  that 
the  promise  of  grace  verily  appertaineth  unto  him  that  is 
christened. 

Yet,  to  declare  the  virtue  of  this  more  plainly,  let  us 
consider  the  words  of  baptism,  the  which  containeth  in 
themselves  the  whole  and  sum'  of  the  testament,  the  bene- 
diction wherewith  we  are  consecrated,  dedicated,  and  offered 
unto  God,  and  God's  name  invocated  upon  us  after  this 
sort :  "  I,"  saith  the  minister,  "  by  the  commandment  of 
God,  and  in  the  place  of  Christ,  do  christen  thee ;  to  say, 
do  testify  by  this  external  sign  thy  sins  to  be  washed  away, 
and  that  thou  art  reconciled  unto  the  living  God  of  our 
Mediator  Jesus  Christ."  And  this  is  the  sign  wherewithal 
God  marketh  all  that  be  living  in  this  world ;  and  his  friends 
by  these  means  he  sealeth  in  the  assurance  of  remission  of 
sin,  which  thou  hast  first  in  spirit  received  by  faith,  and 
for  the  promise  made  unto  thy  father  and  his  posterity. 

[}  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved.] 

P  The  whole  and  sum ;  in  the  original,  thole  and  somne.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


129 


For  the  promise  of  God,  the  remission  of  sin,  appertaineth 
not  only  unto  the  father,  but  also  unto  the  seed  and  suc- 
cession of  the  father,  as  it  was  said  unto  Abraam,  Gen. 
xvii. :  Ero  Bern  tuus,  el  seminis  tui  post  te^.  ^vii. 

It  is  ill  done  to  condemn  the  infants  of  the  Christians 
that  die  without  baptism,  of  whose  salvation  by  the  scrip- 
ture we  be  assured :  Ero  Detts  tuus,  et  seminis  tui  post 
ie.  I  would  likewise  judge  well  of  the  infants  of  the 
infidels,  who  hath  none  other  sin  in  them  but  original, 
the  sin  of  Adam's  transgression.  And  as  by  Adam  sin 
and  death  entered  into  the  world,  so  by  Christ  justice 
and  life.  Ut  quemadmodum  regnaverat  peccatum  in  morte, 
sic  et  gratia  regnaret  per  justitiam  ad  mtam  wternam  per 
Jemm  Christum'^  Rom.  v.  Whereas  the  infants  doth  Rom.  v. 
not  follow  the  iniquity  of  the  father,  but  only  culpable 
for  the  transgression  of  Adam,  it  shall  not  be  against  the 
faith  of  a  christian  man  to  say,  that  Christ's  death  and 
passion  extendeth  as  far  for  the  salvation  of  innocents,  as 
Adam's  fall  made  all  his  posterity  culpable  of  damnation. 
Q,wia  quemadmodum  per  inobedientiam  unius  hominis  peccatores 
constituti  fuimm  multi,  ita  per  obedientiam  unius  justi  con- 
stituentur  mvMi^.  The  scripture  also  preferreth  the  grace 
of  God's  promise  to  be  more  abundant  than  sin.  Uhi 
exuheravit  peccatum,  ibi  magis  exuberavit  gratia^  Rom.  v.  Ro™- v. 
It  is  not  the  part  of  a  Christian  to  say,  this  man  is  damned, 
or  this  is  saved,  except  he  see  the  cause  of  damnation 
manifest.  As  touching  the  promises  of  God's  election, 
sunt  sine  poenitentia  dona  et  wcatio  DeV 

These  temerous  judgments  of  men  hath  brought  into 
the  church  of  Christ  a  wrong  opinion  of  God,  to  say 
that  he  can  nor  doth  save  none,  but  such  as  be  received 
openly  into  the  church  by  baptism :  whereas  this  sacra- 
ment and  all  other  be  but  the  confirmation  of  Christ's 
promises,  which  be  in  the  person  that  receiveth  the  sacra- 

P  I  will  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee.J 

P  That  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign 

through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.] 

P  For  as  by  one  man  s  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  so 

by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.] 
\^  WTiere  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound.] 
Q  The  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance.  Rom.  xi.  29.] 

9 

[hooper.] 


130 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


ments  before,  or  else  these  external  signs  availeth  nothing. 
This  may  be  easily  known  by  the  use  of  baptism  every 
where.  The  testimonies  of  the  infant  to  be  christened  are 
examined  in  the  behalf  of  the  child ;  of  faith,  what  they 
believe  of  God  :  Credis  in  Deum  Patrem,  &^c.  ?  Credis  et  in 
Jesum  Christum,  Filium  Dei,  natum,  et  passum,  <Sfc.  9  Credis 
in  Spiritum  Sanctum  f  Credis  sanctam  Ecclesiam,  remissiomm 
jpeccatorum,  resurredionem  carnis,  et  vitam  ceternam  P  The 
answer  is,  CredoK  Before  yet  or  he  be  christened,  he 
maketh  this  solemn  vow,  full  little  regarded  of  all  the  world 
in  manner,  that  he  will  at  the  years  of  discretion  practise 
and  live  godly  after  this  faith.  The  minister  saith  unto 
him:  "Thou  shalt  renounce  the  devil  with  all  his  works:" 
the  answer  is,  "  I  do  renounce  him."  This  reason  and 
account  of  faith  given  with  a  most  earnest  and  pretensed 
vow,  to  live  for  ever  virtuously,  he  is  demanded  whether  he 
vnll  be  christened.  "I"  [will,]  saith  the  testimonies^  Then 
is  he  christened  in  the  name  of  God,  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  which  fact  doth  openly  confirm 
the  remission  of  sin,  received  before  by  faith.  For  at  the 
contemplation  of  God's  promises  in  Christ,  he  is  saved  as 
soon  as  the  conscience  of  man  repenteth  and  believeth,  and 
John  iii.  &  his  sius  be  forgiven.  J ohn  iii.  and  vi. :  Qui  credit  Filio 
haiet  vitam  ceternam;  qui  non  credit  non  videbit  vitam,  sed 
ira  Dei  manet  super  eum^.  There  is  neither  faith,  neither 
sacrament,  unto  this  christened  creature  in  vain.  Faith 
receiveth  first  Christ  for  the  promise  sake ;  then  is  he  bold 
to  take  this  holy  sacrament  for  a  confirmation  of  God's 
benefits  towards  him,  and  then  to  manifest,  open,  and  declare 
unto  the  whole  church,  represented  by  the  minister  and  such 
as  be  present  at  the  act,  Christ,  that  already  secretly  dwelleth 
in  his  soul,  that  they  may  bear  record  of  this  love,  amity, 

\}  Dost  thou  believe  in  God  the  Father,  &c.  ?  And  (dost  thou 
believe)  in  Jesus  Christ.. .the  Son  (of  God). ..bom.. .(and)  suffered,  &c.? 
Dost  thou  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost?  (Dost  thou  believe  in)  the  holy- 
Church... the  remission  of  sins^  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,  and  everlast- 
ing life...?  Baptismal  Service.] 
I  do  believe.] 

P  I  saith  the  testimonies,  in  the  original.  I  will,  say  the  sponsors.] 
P  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life :  and  he  that 

believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 

him.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


181 


peace,  and  concord,  that  is  between  God  and  him  by  Christ. 
And  forasmuch  as  all  displeasure,  ire,  vengeance,  and  hatred 
between  God  and  him,  is  agreed  upon  by  the  intercession 
of  Christ,  whom  faith  before  baptism  brought  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  God,  to  plead  this  charter  of  remission; 
it  is  the  office  of  the  church,  which  hath  an  open  and 
manifest  declaration  thereof,  to  give  God  thanks  for  the 
preservation  of  his  church,  and  for  the  acceptation  of  this 
christened  person  into  the  commonwealth  of  his  saved  people; 
remembering,  that  only  those  be  appertaining  unto  God,  that 
be  thus  called  openly  into  the  visible  church  and  congregation, 
except  death  prevent  the  act.  And  such  as  contemn  this 
sacrament  be  not  of  God,  as  Paul  saith:  Quos  prcedejinierat,  Rom.viii. 
eosdem  et  vocamt^.  Rom.  viii.  When  they  may  be  received, 
as  they  were  instituted,  and  ministered  by  such  as  the  law 
of  Ged  appointed  in  the  ministry  of  the  church,  no  Christian 
should  omit  for  any  occasion  the  doing  of  them.  But 
whereas  such  take  upon  them  as  be  not  lawfully  called  unto 
the  ministration  of  sacraments,  (as  where  the  sage  femme,  or 
midwife,  for  danger  of  the  child's  soul  will  christen  it,)  it  is  a 
profanation^  of  the  sacrament  and  not  to  be  suffered.  The 
child  shall  rejoice  eternally  in  heaven  with  Abraam,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  for  Christ's  sake,  whose  merits  appertaineth  unto 
the  infant  for  his  father's  faith. 

This  ungodly  opinion,  that  attributeth  the  salvation  of 
man  unto  the  receiving  of  an  external  sacrament,  doth  dero- 
gate the  mercy  of  God,  as  though  his  holy  Spirit  could  not  be 
carried  by  faith  into  the  penitent  and  sorrowful  conscience, 
except  it  rid  always  in  a  chariot^  and  external  sacrament. 
This  error  hath  ignorance  brought  into  the  church,  because 
the  ministers  this  many  years  knew  not  to  what  end  a  sacra- 
ment was  instituted.  They  contend  upon  certain  words  of  the 
scripture,  John  iii.  Mar.  ult.    Howbeit,  understood  aright,  Joiiniii. 

'  '  .  1         1 T       Mark  xvi. 

and  the  circumstance  of  the  text  marked,  it  proveth  nothing. 
Nicodemus  was  a  man  of  sufficient  health  and  age,  and  no 
cause  why  he  should  not  receive  that  holy  ceremony  of  baptism. 
Mark's  words  appertain  hkewise  chiefly  unto  such  as  were 
apt  to  hear  the  gospel,  and  such  to  be  christened :  notwith- 

P  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called.] 

Prophacion,  in  the  original.] 
[]  it  ryd  allwayes  in  a  cherot,  &c.,  in  the  original.] 

9 — 2 


132 


ANSWEK  TO  THE 


standing  they  may  likewise  confirm  thereby  the  baptism  of 
infants  by  this  reason,  Ero  Deus  turn  et  seminis  tui  post  te^ ; 
deducing  this  argument  of  those  words,  to  whomsoever  the 
promise  of  God  appertain,  to  the  same  the  signs  annexed 
unto  the  promise  appertain.  To  the  infants  the  promise 
appertaineth,  Ero  Deus  seminis  tm ;  Hkewise  the  signs  of  the 
promise.  Whereas  they  say,  that  baptism  appertaineth  unto 
the  salvation  of  all  men  that  be  of  God's  elects,  I  grant ;  but 
not  unto  every  of  God's  elects.  I  except  those  that  die 
before  they  be  christened,  the  infants  of  the  Christians,  of 
whose  salvation  we  may  not  doubt :  of  the  infidels'  infants  I 
will  temerously  nor  damn  nor  save.  Saint  Augustine^  is  of 
the  contrary  part  against  me :  howbe[it],  that  holy  doctor 
giveth  me  leave  to  leave  his  writings,  and  believe  the  scrip- 
ture^. If  it  were  my  purpose  to  reason  that  matter,  I 
would  get  great  aid  out  of  other  his  works  to  serve  mine 
opinion :  and  as  for  the  excuse  of  the  midwives  christening 
Exod.  iv.  by  the  example  of  Zippora,  Moses'  wife,  Exodus  iv.,  that 
circumcised  in  the  time  of  need,  it  may  not  prove  the  mid- 
wives'  fact  to  be  good ;  for  of  one  private  and  singular  fact 
no  man  may  make  a  general  law.  Epiphanius*,  that  great 
clerk,  libra  Hi.  contra  Hcereses,  Tom  2.  cap.  79,  proveth  mine 
opinion  with  strong  arguments :  Si  mulieribus  prceceptwrn 
esset  sacrificare  Deo,  mt  regulariter  quicquam  agere  in  ecclesia, 
oportebat  magis  ipsam  Mariam  sacrificivm  perfieere  in  now 
testamento,  etc.;  at  non  placuit^     Read  the  chapter.  Moses 

\}  I  will  be  a  God  unto  thee  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee.  Gen.  xvii.  7-3 
P  Si  non  baptizentur,  inter  eos  qui  non  credunt  erunt ;  ac  per  hoc 
nec  vitam  habebunt,  sed  ira  Dei  manet  super  eos.    Sti  Augustini  Op. 
Basileae,  1543,  Tom.  vii.  contra  Pelagianos  ad  Marcell.  lib.  3.  col.  720.  c. 
See  also  col.  1034.  a,  and  col.  108.5.  b.  d.  &c.] 

Quis  nesciat  scripturam  canonicam  veteris  et  novi  testamenti 
certis  suis  termiais  contineri,  eamque  omnibus  posterioribus  episco- 
porum  literis  esse  prseponendam,  ut  de  ilia  omnino  dubitari  et  disceptan 
non  possit,  utrum  verum  vel  utrum  rectum  sit,  quidquid  in  ea  scriptum 
esse  constiterit.  Sti  August.  Op.  Basileae,  1543,  de  Baptismo  contra 
Donatistas,  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  iii.  Tom.  vii.  col.  392.  B.] 

El  lepaTeveiv  yvvaiKes  Qea  irpofreTaiTa'ovTO,  rj  KavoviKOV  n  €pya- 
^ea-dai  iv  iKKhja-LO.,  eSei  ftaXXof  avr^v  rrjv  Mapiav  Upartlav  emreXea'a* 

Epiphan.  Op.  Colonise,  1682, 
Tom.  I.  Advers.  Haereses  (Lib.  iii.  Tom.  ii.)  p.  1059.] 

If  it  had  been  commanded  that  women  should  sacrifice  to  God,  or 
perform  any  thing  ritually  in  the  Church,  it  especially  behoved  Mary 


BISHOP  OF  WINCHESTER''s  BOOK. 


133 


was  in  danger  of  death,  because  he  neglected  the  command- 
ment of  God,  which  was  to  circumcise  the  eighth  day.  Gen,  Gen.  xvh. 
xvii.  As  he  supposed,  after  the  judgment  of  the  flesh,  it 
ishould  have  hindered  the  child's  health,  because  they  had  a 
long  journey  to  travel :  such  good  intentions,  contrary  unto 
the  word  of  God,  we  see  cruelly  revenged  divers  times.  The 
sacraments  must  be  used  as  they  be  commanded,  and  to  the 
same  end  that  they  be  commanded.  The  ministry  of  Chrisfs 
church  chiefly  dependeth  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and 
the  ministration  of  the  sacraments ;  and  as  the  preaching  of 
the  word  is  not  the  office  of  a  woman,  no  more  is  the  minis- 
tration of  the  sacraments. 

To  what  end,  and  to  whom  the  sacraments  must  be  Rom.  iv. 
given,  St  Paul  teacheth,  Romans  iv. ;  where  he  calleth  cir- 
cumcision Sphragida  ejus  justitice  acceptationis  in  gratiam 
Dei,-  quoB  per  fidem  appreJienditur :  "It  is  the  mark  and 
seal  of  acceptation  into  God's  grace,  received  before  by 
faith."  And  this  external  sacrament  was  as  the  conclusion 
and  sealing  up  of  all  that  God  had  promised  unto  Abraam 
before :  to  say.  In  te  benedicentur  omnes  gentes  terroe^, 
with  many  other  promises,  as  is  expressed  in  the  book 
of  Genesis  from  the  12th  chapter  unto  the  l7th,  where 
as  circumcision  was  given;  for  this  word  spJiragizo  sig- 
nifieth  sigillo  notare,  insignire,  et  concludere''  By  the 
which  word  and  text  of  Paul  it  is  manifest,  that  by  the 
sacraments  God's  promises  be  not  first  given  unto  man, 
but  that  by  the  sacraments  the  promise  received  is  con- 
firmed :  for  Paul  discernit  applicationem  gratice  ah  ipsa  cir- 
cumcisione^,  as  in  the  same  4th  chapter  he  sheweth  more 
plainly,  where  he  declareth  the  condition  of  Abraam,  what 
he  was  before  he  received  this  sacrament,  proveth  him  first 
to  be  the  friend  of  God :  Credidit  Abraam  Deo,  et  impu- 
tatvm  est  ei  ad  justitiam^.  As  a  man  first  assured  of  God 
he  received  this  sacrament,  and  sought  not  first  to  find 
him  in  an  external  sign.    So  doth  all  men  at  this  day,  if 

herself,  under  the  new  dispensation,  to  offer  sacrifices,  &c.;  but  it  was  not 
seen  fit.] 

In  thee  shall  all  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.   Gen.  xii.  3.] 
\]  2cf>payi^(o,  to  seal,  to  sign,  and  to  conclude.] 
["  Distinguishes  the  impartation  of  gi-ace  from  circumcision  itself.] 
Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness.] 


134 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


they  marked  what  is  required  of  them  before  they  receive 
any  sacrament.  There  is  not  so  much  as  the  speechless 
infant,  but  by  his  parents  is  bound  to  give  account  of  his 
faith  before  he  be  christened.  And,  as  John  saith,  chap,  i., 
Dedit  eis  ut  liceret  filios  Dei  fieri,  mdelicet  his,  qui  credi- 
dissent  in  nomine  ipsius^ :  so  that  none  is  admitted  unto 
the  sacraments,  but  such  as  be  God's  friends  first  by  faith. 
Ahraam  credidif :  "Abraam  believed."  The  infant  believeth. 

Acts  X.  Cornelius  believed,  Acts  x.  and  as  one  came  unto  the  sacra- 
ment, our  father  Abraam,  as  the  friend  of  God,  so  cometh 
all  the  world  that  follow  his  faith,  and  confirmeth  God's 
promise  with  an  external  sign;  as  I  shall  declare  more  plainly 
from  the  first  sacrament  unto  the  last.    Adam  offered  sacri- 

Gen.  iv.  fice  unto  God,  so  did  Abel,  Gen.  iv.  They  had  certain 
manifest  and  open  sacraments  given  unto  them  by  God,  that 
their  oblations  were  acceptable,  because  they  sprang  out  of 
the  fountain  and  life  of  all  good  works,  from  faith  and 
the  fear  of  God.  Abel's  lamb  was  by  miracle  burned  with 
celestial  fire,  and  Caine's  sacrifice  nothing  accepted.  Two 
brothers,  having  one  father  and  one  mother,  what  should 
be  the  cause  that  one  received  an  open  and  external  testi- 
mony of  God's  love,  and  not  the  other?    Paul  declareth 

Kom.^xiv.  the  cause,  Rom.  xiv.  Heb.  xi. :  Sine  fide  impossibile  est  pla- 
cere  Deo;  accedentem  ad  Deum  oportet  credere^.  Abel,  be- 
cause before  the  sacrifice  he  was  accepted  by  faith  into  God's 
favour,  the  religion  of  his  heart  was  declared  openly  unto 
all  the  world.  Caine,  that  thought  God  would  be  pleased 
with  an  external  ceremony  vsdthout  an  internal  reconcilia- 
tion, was  openly  declared  to  be  an  hypocrite,  without  faith 
or  any  godly  motion.  The  rainbow  given  unto  Noe  was 
a  sacrament  of  God's ^  and  confirmed  these  words:  Non 
adjiciam  ut  amplius  maledicam  hwmo  propter  hominem''.  Et, 
hoc  signum  foederis  quod  ego  do  inter  me  et  te,  et  inter  omnem 

P  To  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them 
that  believe  on  his  name.] 

P  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God :  for  he  that  cometh 
to  God  must  believe,  &c.] 

P  The  word  "promise"  appears  to  be  wanting  here  to  complete  the 
sense.] 

P  I  will  not  again  curse  the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake.  Gen. 
viii.  21.] 


BISHOP   OF   WINCH  ester's  BOOK. 


135 


animam  viventem,  quce  est  mhiscum  in  generationes  perpetuas. 
Arcum  mewm  posui  in  nube,  Sfc.^  Gen.  ix.    Had  not  Noe  Gen.  ix. 
first  believed  the  promise  of  God,  and  been  accepted  into 
the  favour  of  God,  this  ark  in  the  clouds  had  as  much 
edified  him,  as  all  the  miracles  that  [were]  wrought  by  Moses 
in  Egypt  before  Pharao,  Exod.  vii.  viii.  ix.  x.  xi.    Pesah,  Exod  vii. 
Exod.  xii.  nothing  availed ;  no,  nor  was  not  used  with-  Exod.  "xii. 
out  the  due  circumstances  there  prescribed,  that  such  as 
ate  of  it  were  first  instructed  what  it  meant,  and  put 
in  remembrance  of  God's  benefits  and  mercies  unto  them, 
and  then  as  people  of  godliness  and  godly  religion  they  ate 
it  with  thanks. 

What  is  there  more  to  be  said?  As  the  promise  of 
God  is  received  by  faith,  so  must  the  sacraments  be  also. 
And  where  as  faith  is  not,  no  sacrament  availeth.  Read 
the  -eighth  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  con- 
fer Simon  Magus  with  the  queen  of  Candes'"  servant  ; 
and  mark  what  difference  is  between  him  that  looketh  to 
find  Christ  in  an  external  sacrament,  and  him  that  cometh 
with  penitence  and  assurance  that  God  is  his  through  Christ. 
The  one,  Simon,  would  have  had  the  power  to  have  given 
the  Holy  Ghost  to  whom  he  hst,  not  for  his  belief  sake, 
but  for  money.  Peter  said :  JVon  est  tibi  pars  neque  sors 
in  parte  hoc''  The  queen's  servant,  converted  from  the  bot- 
tom of  his  heart,  believing  the  preaching  of  Philip,  would 
be  a  Christian  also  outwardly,  said  unto  the  servant  of  God  : 
Ecce  aqua,  quid  vetat  quominus  baptizer  ?  Dixit  Philippus,  Si 
credis  ex  toto  corde,  licet^.  "  If  thou  believe  with  all  thy  heart, 
it  is  lawful."  The  godly  man  said :  Credo  Filium  Dei  esse 
Jesum  Christum.  "  I  believe  the  Son  of  God  to  be  Jesus 
Christ."  Thus  first  assured  of  Christ,  took  openly  Christ's 
livery.    The  same  diversity  may  be  seen.  Matt,  xxvi.,  Mark  Matt.  xxvi. 

•  V         V  M&rk  XIV 

xiv.  and  Luke  xxii.,  by  Judas  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Luke  xxu. 

This  is  the  token  of  the  covenant  which  I  make  between  me  and 
you,  and  every  living  creature  that  is  with  you  for  perpetual  gene- 
rations.   I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud,  &c.] 
Candes:  Candace.] 
\]  Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter.   Acts  viii.  21.] 
P  See,  here  is  water.  What  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  ?  And 
Philip  said,  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest..--!  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.    Acts  viii.  36,  37.] 


136 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


concerning  the  receiving  of  Christ's  supper.  So  that  I  prove 
hereby,  that  all  sacraments  appertaineth  unto  none  but  unto 
such  as  first  receive  the  promise  of  God,  to  say,  remission 
of  his  sin  in  Christ's  blood :  of  the  which  promise  these 
sacraments  be  testimonies,  viritnesses ;  as  the  seal  annexed 
unto  the  writing  is  a  stablishraent  and  making  good  of  all 
things  contained  and  specified  within  the  writing.  This  is 
used  in  all  bargains,  exchanges,  purchases,  g,nd  contracts. 

When  the  matter  entreated  between  two  parties  is  fully 
concluded  upon,  it  is  confirmed  with  obligations  sealed  in- 
terchangeably, that  for  ever  those  seals  may  be  a  witness 
of  such  covenants,  as  hath  been  agreed  upon  between  the 
both  parties.  And  these  writings  and  seals  maketh  not 
the  bargain,  but  confirmeth  the  bargain  that  is  made.  No 
man  useth  to  give  his  obligation  of  debtor,  before  there 
is  some  contract  agreed  upon  between  him  and  his  creditor. 
No  man  useth  to  mark  his  neighbour's  ox  or  horse  in  his 
mark,  before  he  be  at  a  full  price  for  the  ox;  or  else  were 
it  felony  and  theft  to  rob  his  neighbour.  Every  man  useth 
to  mark  his  own  goods,  and  not  another  man's:  so  God,  in 
the  commonwealth  of  his  church,  doth  not  mark  any  man 
in  his  mark,  until  such  time  as  the  person  that  he  marketh 
be  his.  There  must  first  be  had  a  communication  between 
God  and  the  man,  to  know  how  he  can  make  any  contract 
of  friendship  with  his  enemy,  the  living  God.  He  con- 
fesseth  his  default,  and  desireth  mercy;  useth  no  purgation 
nor  translation  of  his  sin,  but  only  beseecheth  mercy,  and 
layeth  Christ  to  gage',  and  saith,  Forasmuch  as  thou  hast 
given  thy  only  Son  for  the  sin  of  the  world,  merciful  Lord, 
hast  thou  not  likewise  given  all  things,  unto  sinners  that 
repent,  with  him?  Then  likewise,  Lord,  forgive  me,  and 
be  my  God,  both  in  faith,  and  also  in  thy  sacraments :  and 
as  truly  shall  I  serve  thee  during  my  life,  as  these  worda 
pass  my  mouth,  I  renounce  the  devil,  the  world,  and  sin. 
Upon  this  faith  and  promise  made  to  God,  we  be  marked 
in  God's  mark,  and  none  otherwise.  For  the  church  ever 
teacheth  amendment  of  life,  before  he  promise  grace.  So 
isai'."^'  God  preached  to  Adam,  Gen.  iii.,  Esa.  i.,  Matt,  iii.,  Marki.: 
Mwki."'    Besipiscite,  et  credite  emngelio^.    Men  may  not  come  like 

[}  Layeth  to  gage,  accepteth  the  challenge.] 

P  Repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel.    Mark  i.  15.] 


BISHOP  OF   WINCHESTEr''s  BOOK.  137 

swine  unto  the  sacraments,  with  cry,  God  [have]  mercy, 
good  ghostly  Father,  and  you*!  But  he  must  repent  from 
the  bottom  of  his  heart,  and  leave  the  things  that  erst  hath 
been  committed  against  God ;  the  idolater  his  idolatry, 
the  swearer  his  oaths,  the  adulterer  his  adultery,  the  drunk- 
ard his  drunkenness,  men  that  tradeth  in  the  world  all 
false  and  unjust  contracts,  the  slanderer  his  devilish  tongue ; 
or  else  never  come  to  sermon,  nor  receive  sacrament.  But 
alas !  with  such  faith  as  they  receive  the  sacraments,  in 
the  same  faith  they  liveth;  not  as  people  created  unto  the 
similitude  of  God,  to  obey  justice  and  honesty,  but  to  serve 
all  uncleanliness  and  abomination;  as  it  is  daily  to  be  seen, 
as  well  among  them  that  yet  live  in  superstition,  as  among 
them  that  professeth  to  know  Christ's  gospel,  their  living 
as  much  like  unto  a  christian  man's  as  antichrist  unto  Christ, 
and  God  unto  the  devil.  If  they  that  know,  at  leastway  they 
say  they  know  the  gospel,  will  no  better  follow  the  gospel, 
let  them  cast  the  testament  into  the  fire ;  for  they  know 
to  their  damnation,  that  will  not  follow  their  knowledge. 
To  be  a  Christian,  it  is  not  so  light  as  men  make  it : 
of  all  the  crafts  in  the  world  it  is  the  hardest ;  not  to 
prattle  and  prate  of  it,  but  to  practise  it  in  life.  For 
it  is  a  science  practive,  and  not  speculative.  Consistit 
in  adione,  et  non  in  lingua*^.  God  give  grace,  these  holy 
sacraments  may  be  more  often  and  more  reverently  used! 
The  neglecting  of  them  is  to  be  condemned,  much  more 
the  contempt  of  them.  But  every  man  must  be  aright 
instructed,  why  and  to  what  end  he  useth  them,  as  well  as 
to  receive  them.  He  that  is  ignorant  of  the  causes  can 
never  judge  aright  of  the  effect.  He  that  knoweth  not  the 
cause  why  God  made  man,  shall  live  always  like  a  beast, 
and  apply  his  life  to  another  end  than  God  made  it  for, 
to  serve  him  in  justice  and  virtuous  life.  He  applieth  it 
more  like  a  dog  and  brute  beast,  contrary  unto  the  order 
of  God,  and  maketh  the  image  of  God  the  image  of  Caco- 
demon,  obeying  ever  lust,  that  repugneth  unto  the  will  of 
God.  So  far  hath  the  devil  and  sin  prevailed,  that  in  manner 
there  is  neither  the  one  sect  of  people  called  papists,  neither 
the  other  called  gospellers,  that  careth^  for  the  life  of  the 

P  god  mercy  godd  gostely  father  and  youe,  in  the  original.] 

[*  It  consisteth  in  deed,  and  not  in  tongue.]        P  Original,  earyd.'} 


]88 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


gospel.  Such  custom  of  ill  hath  made  so  weak  our  corrupt 
nature,  that  it  flieth  all  honesty  and  honest  laws  that  should 
keep  it  in  order.  And  of  a  spiritual  liberty  given  unto  us 
by  Christ  in  the  gospel,  we  take  a  carnal  licence  and  wanton- 
ness of  life,  so  that  we  make  very  little  or  no  resistance 
at  all.  Assensus  est  infirmus,  et  cor  habet  contrarios  impetus 
pwgnantes  cum  lumine  dimnitus^  insito  mentibm^.  True  are 
the  words  of  Medea:  Video  meliora proboque,  deteriora  seqmr': 
ac,  Fertur  equis  auriga,  nee  audit  currus  Jiabenas^  Of  every 
thing  the  principal  cause  must  be  known,  to  say,  the  cause 
final,  the  which  is  first  to  be  considered  :  as  in  a  common- 
wealth, the  final  cause  of  all  laws  and  the  commonwealth 
likewise  is  to  live  well ;  the  final  cause  of  physic  to  cure 
the  sick  well;  the  final  cause  of  rhetoric  to  persuade  well. 
And  the  principal  and  chief  cause  of  all  the  sacraments  that 
be  now  in  the  church  of  Christ,  or  ever  were  in  the  church 
of  Christ,  is,  that  they  be  and  ever  hath  been  the  signs  of 
God's  will  and  pleasure  towards  us ;  testimonies  and  seals 
annexed  unto  the  promise  of  grace.  They  be  not  the  thing 
that  they  represent,  but  signs  and  remembrances  thereof. 
Weigh  the  scripture  diligently,  christian  reader,  and  search 
for  the  truth  there. 

God  hath  bound  his  church,  and  all  men  that  be  of  the 
church,  to  be  obedient  unto  the  word  of  God.  It  is  bound 
unto  no  title  or  name  of  men,  nor  unto  any  ordinary  succes- 
sion of  bishops  or  priests :  longer  than  they  teach  the  doctrine 
contained  in  the  scripture,  no  man  should  give  hearing  unto 
them,  but  follow  the  rule  of  Paul :  8i  quis  aliud  emngelium 
docet,  anathema  sit^  "He  that  teacheth  any  other  gospel  than 
Christ's,  it  must  be  accursed."  God  hath  preserved  in  all 
captivities  and  persecution  of  the  church  miraculously  one 
book,  the  holy  Bible  ;  delivered  the  same  unto  the  church, 
and  bound  the  church  unto  this  book ;  as  Christ  saith,  John 

dtuitus,  in  the  original.] 
P  The  assent  is  weak,  and  the  heart  has  contrary  impulses,  con- 
tending with  the  light  divinely  implanted  in  the  mind.] 

I  see  and  approve  the  better,  but  pursue  the  worse.  Ovid.] 

The  charioteer  is  borne  along  by  the  horses,  neither  doth  the 
chariot  answer  to  the  reins.    Ovid.  Metam.] 

If  any  man  preach  any  other  Gospel  unto  you  than  that  ye  have 
received,  let  him  be  accursed.   Gal.  i.  9.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


189 


xiv. :  Paracletus  awtem  ille,  qui  est  Spiritus  Sanctus,  quern  Spi-  Jo**"  ^'v. 
ritum  mittet  Pater  nomine  meo,  ille  vos  docebit  omnia,  et  suggeret 
vohis  omnia,  qucemnque  disoi  mlis^.  He  saith  that  his  holy- 
Spirit  shall  teach  none  other  doctrine  than  he  himself  taught, 
and  the  same  that  he  taught.  Therefore  withdraw  thy  heart 
from  this  opinion,  that  they  would  deceive  thy  soul  withal, 
under  the  pretence  of  holy  church.  They  only  be  the  church, 
that  embrace  this  holy  book,  the  bible,  heareth  it,  learneth 
it,  and  foUoweth  the  judgment  of  it.  He  is  a  christian 
man,  that  leaveth  the  word  of  man,  and  keepeth  the  word 
of  God.  8i  quis  diligit  me,  sermonem  meum  sermbit ;  et  qui 
habet  prcecepta  mea,  et  servat  ea,  ille  est  qui  me  diligit".  John  John  xiv. 
xiv.  Paul  commanded  Timothe  to  be  studious  in  the  scrip- 
ture, and  not  to  study  in  Talmud,  nor  Darash,  or  other 
decrees  of  the  Pharisees,  1  Tim.  iv. :  Intende  lectioni^.  Also,  iTim.  iv. 
Colos.  iii. :  Verbum  Christi  abundet  inter  ws^.  To  that  pur-  Coi.  iii. 
pose  the  Holy  Ghost  would  the  scripture  to  be  wroten,  to 
detect  all  falsehood,  that  God's  name  might  be  aright  called 
upon  in  Christ  only,  and  not  with  invocation  of  dead  saints  ; 
and  his  holy  supper  to  be  used  as  a  communion  unto  all 
men  under  both  kinds,  and  not  to  be  made  a  mass  of,  that 
blasphemeth  God;  for  such  as  honour  the  bread  there  for 
God,  doth  no  less  idolatry  than  they  that  made  the  sun 
their  God,  or  stars.  David  saith,  Psalm  ci. :  Scribentur  Psai.  cii. 
hcec  in  generatione  altera,  et  populus  qui  creabitur  laudabit 
Dominum^°.  To  what  purpose  hath  Christ  given  us  his  sacra- 
ments, and  wroten  openly,  manifestly,  and  sufficiently  the 
true  use,  how  they  should  be  used,  in  the  scripture,  when 
no  man,  or  few  men,  will  observe  the  commandment  of  the 
scripture,  but  rather  the  dreams  and  detestable  decrees  of 
heretical  and  pharisaical  bishops,  and  maintain  their  laws 
in  the  church,  be  they  never  so  devilish  ?  It  were  as  good 
burn  the  bible,  as  to  serve  to  no  purpose.    For  the  holy- 

P  But  the  Comforter,  wliich  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father 
will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things 
to  your  remembrance  whatsoever  1  have  said  unto  you.  John  xiv.  26.] 
If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words,  ver.  23.  And  he  that 
hath  my  commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me, 
ver.  21.] 

P  Give  attendance  to  reading.    1  Tim.  iv.  13.] 

P  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly.    Col.  iii.  16.] 

This  shall  be  written  for  the  generation  to  come,  and  the  people 
which  shall  be  created  shall  praise  the  Lord.   Psal.  cii.  18.] 


140 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


water  bucket  sitteth  in  the  church  at  the  right  hand  of 
the  bible,  and  not  so  hardy  [as]  once  to  melle^  there,  till 
the  water-conjurer  call  him ;  and  then  must  the  holy  bible 
serve,  like  a  handmaid,  a  wicked  purpose,  to  colour  a  stink- 
ing ceremony,  that  asperges  me,  Domim,  may  prove  holy 
water  to  be  a  good  and  godly  ceremony^ :  and  hoc  est  corpus 
meum,  after  the  invocation  of  dead  saints,  is  called  to  make 
good  the  wicked  mass  ;  wherein  is  not  as  much  as  one 
thing  good,  saving  the  scripture,  which  they  abuse  to  another 
purpose  than  it  was  wroten  for. 

Doubtless  the  princes  of  the  earth,  unto  whom  God  com- 
mitteth  the  civil  governance  of  the  people,  shall  sustain  the 
ire  of  God  for  their  negligent  endeavour  in  this  behalf,  be- 
cause they  suffer  such  preachers  and  bishops  to  rule  over  the 
conscience  of  their  subjects,  where  only  the  law  of  God  should 
have  place.  These  things  should  move  all  christian  princes 
to  a  reformation  of  these  wrongs,  that  God  sustaineth  by 
taking  away  his  word  from  the  people.  The  miserable  blind- 
ness that  the  people  be  in,  with  danger  of  eternal  damnation, 
because  of  idolatry,  should  cause  princes  to  rue  upon  their 
woeful  state  and  condition.  Yea,  their  own  estate  and 
princely  dignity,  given  unto  them  by  God,  should  move  them 
to  remove  this  ill  out  of  their  realms ;  or  else  other  men  will 
usurp  falsely  their  authority,  and  pervert  the  order  of  God 
in  the  commonwealth.  Therefore  in  the  most  noble  and 
famous  commonwealth  that  ever  was,  the  commonwealth  of 
Num.  ix.  the  Israelites,  was  this  order  appointed.  Num.  ix.:  first  God, 
then  his  word,  the  celestial  signs,  the  pillar  of  fire  and  the 
cloud,  which  were  as  guides  in  their  journey,  to  shew  them 
when  and  where  they  should  camp,  and  likewise  when  and 
which  way  they  should  march  forward  in  the  journey ;  in 

Melle,  idem  quod  meddle.    Lye  in  Junius.] 
P  There  is  much  obscurity  in  this  passage  in  the  original,  where  it 
is  printed  as  follows  : — 

And  meyntayne  there  lawes  in  the  churche,  be  the  neuer  so  deuillishe. 
It  wer  as  god  burn  the  Bible,  as  to  seme,  to  no  purpose,  for  the  holy 
water  boket,  sittith  in  the  church  at  te  right  hand  of  the  Bible,  and 
not  so  hardy  ons  to  melle  there  till  the  water  coniuryd  call  hym,  and  then 
moost  the  holi  bible  serue  lik  a  hand  maide  awyckid  purpose,  to  coloure 
a  stinking  ceremonie  that  aspringes  my  dominie.  May  proue  holy  water 
to  be  a  good  and  godly  ceremony. 

For  the  ceremonies  referred  to  in  asperges,  &c.  see  Durand.  Ration. 
Divin.  OfficioiTim,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  4.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


141 


the  fomth  place  of  this  commonwealth  was  Moses  appointed, 
as  supreme  head  and  prince  next  unto  Grod  ;  in  the 
fifth^  place  was  appointed  the  priests;  then  the  princes  in- 
ferior and  captains ;  then  the  people ;  then  all  things  ne- 
cessary to  maintain  this  commonwealth,  whether  it  were  in 
time  of  peace  or  time  of  war. 

Now,  he  that  considereth  the  face  of  this  commonwealth 
may  see  many  notable  things,  and  specially  for  my  purpose 
one,  which  shall  prove  that  princes  sustain  wrong  by  such 
bishops  as  be  within  their  realms.  Though  that  Aaron  and 
his  sons,  with  the  rest  of  the  priests,  had  the  ministry  of  the 
church  committed  unto  them ;  yet  were  they  never  so  bold 
to  make  any  law  for  the  people  concerning  conscience,  or  to 
bring  any  ceremony  into  the  church,  without  the  judgment 
and  knowledge  of  God's  word,  and  Moses  the  prince;  as  it 
may  be  well  seen  by  such  as  could  not  celebrate  Pesah  in  the 
time  appointed,  because  of  certain  impediments  rehearsed. 
Num.  ix.  This  cause  of  religion  was  not  brought  unto  the  Num.  ix. 
bishop  and  priests  to  be  defined,  but  unto  Moses,  who  coun- 
selled* the  Lord,  and  thereupon  advised*  his  subjects  what  was 
to  be  done  in  such  a  case.  Read  the  place.  This  declareth 
that  no  general  council,  no  provincial  assembly,  no  bishops 
of  any  realm  or  province,  may  charge  the  subjects  thereof 
with  any  law  or  ceremony,  otherwise  than  the  prince  of 
the  land  by  the  word  of  God  can  give  account  to  be  good 
and  godly.  For  the  people  are  committed  unto  the  prince 
to  sustain  the  right  of  them  all,  and  not  only  to  defend  their 
bodies,  but  also  their  souls,  as  it  may  be  seen  by  the  com- 
plaint of  Moses  unto  God,  Num.  xi. :  Cur  afflixisti  sermm  Num.  xi. 
tuum  ?  Et  quare  non  imeni  gratiam  in  oculis  tuis,  ut  poneres 
onus  universi  populi  hujus  super  me,  4rc.''  ?  He  was  so  careful 
that  no  law  was  among  them,  but  that  he  was  able  to  assure 
every  of  his  subjects  that  God  was  the  author  thereof.  Now, 
if  we  consider  the  commonwealth  of  Christ's  church  in  our 
days,  is  there  any  prince  that  can  warrant  all  the  laws  of 
the  church  to  be  good,  and  that  God  is  the  author  thereof? 

P  Fifth :  fight,  in  the  original.] 

counselled :  asked  counsel  of.]      advised  :  wysid,  in  the  original.] 
Wherefore  hast  thou  afflicted  thy  servant?  and  wherefore  have  I 
not  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  that  thou  layest  the  burden  of  all  this 
people  upon  me?   Numb.  xi.  11.] 


142 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


No :  God  knoweth  they  cannot  do  it ;  and  right  well  I  am 
assured  such  as  make  the  princes  believe  they  are  good, 
cannot  bring  forth  and  make  good  the  author,  except  they 
say  the  devil,  author  of  all  ill,  is  the  author. 

Now,  to  remove  this  pitiful  and  miserable  ruin  of  the 
church,  let  all  princes,  for  the  love  of  God  and  for  the  re- 
storing of  their  own  princely  honour,  take  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  the  evangelists  and  the  apostles,  to  judge  whether 
the  yoke  of  their  subjects  be  tolerable,  or  not :  if  it  be  not, 
of  gracious  pity  to  remove  it,  and,  like  a  prince,  warrant  them 
from  all  other  men's  subjection  and  laws.  And  let  not  a 
bishop  be  check-mate  and  "hail  fellow,  well  met:"  if  the  prince 
rule  the  body,  the  bishop  to  sit  in  the  quire  and  rule  the  soul; 
as  indeed  there  is  more  bishops'  decrees,  laws,  and  statutes 
in  the  church  for  the  soul,  than  civil  laws  in  any  realm 
for  the  body.  Whereas  every  commonwealth  ought  to  have 
but  two  governors,  God  and  the  prince,  the  one  to  make 
a  law  for  the  soul,  the  other  for  the  body :  all  the  king's 
officers  to  be  ministers  of  the  law  made  to  the  conserva- 
tion of  the  commonwealth,  and  the  bishops  to  be  ministers 
in  the  church,  of  the  law  that  is  prescribed  by  God :  as  all 
justices,  mayors,  sheriffs,  constables,  and  bailiffs,  be  ministers 
of  the  law  made  unto  them,  to  govern  the  commonwealth;  so 
must  the  bishops,  priests,  and  all  other  preachers,  be  minis- 
ters of  Christ,  and  govern  the  people  in  their  vocation  ac- 
cording unto  the  law  prescribed  by  God.  As  Paul  willed  the 
1  Cor.  iv.  people  to  judge  of  him  and  of  his  companions,  1  Cor.  iv. : 
Sic  nos  CBstimet  homo  ut  ministros  Christi,  et  dispensatores 
mysteriorum  Dei  ;  quod  superest  autem,  illud  requirifur  in 
dispensatoribus,  uf  fidus  aliquis  reperiatur^.  There  is  no 
more  required  of  the  bishop,  but  that  he  be  diligent  and 
faithful  in  the  execution  of  >  God's  word.  It  is  not  required 
that  he  should  make  any  law  for  the  people,  but  to  preach 
God's  law  with  all  dihgence  and  study,  as  they  do  most 
negligently. 

The  year  last  past,  upon  certain  occasions,  at  my 
being  in  England,  for  lack  of  expedition  of  mine  affairs, 
I  was  compelled   to  remain  in  a  tovra  longer  than  I 

\}  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us  as  of  the  ministers  of  Christ  and 
stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  Moreover,  it  is  required  in  stewards 
that  a  man  be  found  faithful.    1  Cor.  iv.  1,  2.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


143 


would,  having  communication  with  certain  of  the  citizens 
of  many  matters,  sought  of  my  part  only  to  have  occasion 
to  help  their  poor  conscience  from  the  snare  of  ignorancy. 
When  I  perceived  I  had  obtained  their  willing  audience, 
I  demanded  of  them  when  their  bishop  (for  of  the  town 
the  bishop  hath  his  name)  preached  among  them,  and  the 
contents  of  his  sermons.  They  told  me  that  he  never 
preached  sermon  in  the  town.  I  asked,  what  deputies 
he  had  in  the  town,  appointed  to  preach.  They  said, 
none ;  and  I  believe  it  the  better,  for  as  long  as  I  was 
in  that  town  there  was  never  sermon.  I  lamented  the 
people ;  for  I  found  a  great  many  apt  and  ready,  by 
inspiration  of  God's  Spirit,  to  hear  the  truth,  if  they 
had  a  preacher ;  for,  at  one  talk  and  communication,  as 
much  as  they  could  comprehend  they  beheved;  the  rest 
they  stood  in  doubt  of.  Then  I  willed  them  dihgently  to 
learn  the  gospel,  to  avance  it  in  word,  and  to  set  it 
forth  with  the  example  of  all  honest  life ;  and  told  them 
that  there  were  two  general  rules  to  learn  and  know  God 
by :  the  first,  by  his  Word,  whereby  our  fathers  before 
thousands  of  years  knew  him ;  the  second  was,  to  know 
God  by  his  dear  Son,  opened  and  declared  in  Hierusalem 
unto  the  world,  and  that  God  can  nor  will  be  knovra 
none  other  ways  than  by  his  Word,  and  by  his  Son  Christ 
Jesus.    John  x.  johnx. 

Here  in  this  town  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  from  the 
time  that  he  was  appointed  by  the  king's  majesty  unto  that 
most  painful  office,  he  preached  neither  God,  neither  the  devil, 
but  let  his  flock  wander  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd.  They 
say  yet  all,  that  their  dioceses  be  well  instructed  and  governed, 
and  they  do  according  unto  their  offices.  Forsooth,  as  much 
their  diligence  is  correspondent,  and  their  facts  agreeing  with 
their  name,  (for  they  are  called  dicecesani,  of  diceceo,  that 
signifieth  to  govern  and  to  defend,)  as  Absolom's  facts  agreed 
with  his  name.  His  name  signifieth  the  peace  and  tranquillity 
of  his  father ;  but  his  facts  was  the  affliction  of  his  father, 
and  banished  him  out  of  his  realm.  2  Sam.  xvii.  So  doth  asam.xvii. 
the  bishops  govern  the  churches  committed  unto  their 
charges,  and  defend  them  from  false  doctrine.  They  be 
instructed  in  the  Pater-noster,  the  creed,  and  the  com- 
mandments, and  hath  the  sacraments  ministered  unto  them, 


144 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


(would  to  Grod,  aright !)  What,  all  this  ?  It  is  not  enough. 
They  may  have  all  these  things,  and  yet  nothing  the 
better.  Hierome  writeth  of  an  heremite  in  vitas  patrum, 
that  said,  Nullum  opus  difficilius  quam  dicere  preces  Deo' 
"  No  work  more  difficile  than  to  pray  unto  God."  Howbeit 
many  men  think  nothing  to  be  more  facile  and  easy, 
johniv.  '  When  Christ  saith,  John  iv.,  Veri  adoratores  adorahmt 
Pair  em  in  spiriiu  et  writafe,  "The  true  worshippers  shall 
worship  God  in  spirit  and  verity ;"  the  difficulty  is  soon 
perceived :  let  invocation  be  in  spirit,  to  say,  in  the  godly 
motion  of  the  heart,  not  with  the  tongue  alone,  nor  with 
hypocrisy.  It  must  be  in  truth,  to  say,  in  a  true  know- 
ledge of  God ;  directed  unto  God  only  by  Christ,  and  by 
no  dead  saint.  So  that  in  prayer  these  two  are  necessary, 
a  true  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  spiritual  motion  of  the 
heart;  or  else  prayer  is  but  inanis  battologia  et  inutile 
murmuT^.  The  creed  must  weekly  and  daily,  and  also  the 
commandments,  be  opened  unto  the  people ;  thereby  they 
may  know  God  aright,  fear  his  justice  against  sin,  and 
take  solace  and  comfort  in  his  merciful  promises  for  Christ. 
Only  the  commandments  of  God  contain  such  a  copious 
and  profound  doctrine,  that  it  can  never  be  known  suffi- 
ciently, nor  never  with  sufficient  diligence  declared  unto 
the  people.  It  is  the  abridgment  and  epitome  of  the 
whole  bible,  compendiously  containing  the  whole  law  and 
the  gospel.  Not  one  proposition  in  the  scripture  but  hath 
his  common  place  in  the  ten  commandments :  and  he  that 
understandeth  them  well  is  a  good  christian  man,  if  he 
follow  them.  He  that  understandeth  not  them  can  be  no 
christian  man.  There  is  every  man's  office  and  duty 
described,  what  is  to  be  done,  whether  it  be  towards 
God  or  man :  and  whether  he  be  minister  in  the  church, 
or  in  the  civil-wealth,  of  what  condition  soever  he  be,  there 
may  he  learn  how  to  follow  his  vocation. 

It  is  not  sufficient  for  a  christian  man  to  believe  one  part 

[Oratio  p  Interrogaverunt  fratres  Abbatem  Agathonem  dicentes,  Pater,  quae 

etdi'fficini-  virtutum  in  conversatione  plus  habet  laboris?  Et  dicit  eis,  Ignoscite 
mum  opusj  jjjjji}^  q^jg,  p^to  non  esse  alium  laborem  talem,  quam  orare  Deum.  Vitae 

Patrum,  (per  Georgium  Majorem,  cum  praefatione  D.  Doctoris  Martini 

Lutheri).    Wittembergae,  1644.  fo.  269.] 

An  empty  chattering  and  useless  sound.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


145 


of  the  scripture;  but  faith  is  a  right  persuasion  and  willing 
consent  unto  the  whole  word  of  God.    For  he  that  saith, 
Credis  in  Deum  Patrem,  Filium,  et  Spiritum  Sanctum^?  the 
satoe  God  saith,  Ambula  coram  me,  et  esto  integer^.  What 
availeth  the  brag  of  faith,  where  as  is  no  virtuous  hfe  ? 
He  that  said,  Jmtificati  igitur  ex  fide,  pacem  Jidbemus  erga 
Dewm,  per  Dominum  nostrum  Jesum  Christum^,  Romans  v.  Rom.  v. 
et,  Nulla  condermatio  est  lex  Ms,  qui  insiti  sunt  Christo 
Jesu^,    saith  likewise,  Quod  si  quis  Spiritum  Christi  non  ^om.\m. 
haiet,  hie  nan  est  ejus^;  et.  Si  secundum  earnem  vixeritis, 
moriemini^,  Romans  viii.    And  as  we  believe  that  Christ 
died  for  our  sins,  so  must  we  believe,  that  he  died  Hke- 
wise  to  give  us  an  example  to  die  from  sin  and  the 
concupiscence  of  the  world.     Paul  saith.   Quod  mortuus  Rom.  vi. 
fuit  peccato,  mortuus  fuit  semeV,  Romans  vi.    Peter  saith, 
CurrL  igitur  Christus  passus  sit  pro  nobis  came,  ws  quoque  i  Pet.  iv. 
juxta  eandem  cogitationem  armemini;  quod  qui  patiebatur 
in  came  destitit  a  peccato  in  Tioc,  ut  jam  non  concwpiscentiis 
hominum,  sed  mluntati  Dei,  quod  superest  in  came  vimt^", 
1  Peter  iv.    He  that  said  unto  Peter,  Pasce  oves  meas",  Joimxxi. 
John  xxi.,  and  to  the  rest  of  all  the  apostles.  Matt.  x.  Matt.  x. 
Acto.  i.,  that  they  should  be  ministers  of  the  church,  taught  Acts  i. 
then  likewise  how  they  might  please  God  in  their  vocation ; 
said  not.  Go,  bless  a  bucket  of  water,  hallow  bough,  candle, 
bell,  chalice,  font,  or  any  such  beggary^^,  Matt,  xxix.;  but  bid  Matt, 
them  teach  that  he  had  said  unto  them,  and  repeated  the  same, 

P  Dost  thou  believe  in  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost?   John  ix.  35.] 

Walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect.   Gen.  xvii.  1.] 
P  Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.] 

And,  There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  (by  the  law)  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus.] 

If  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.] 
P  And,  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh  ye  shall  die.] 
P  In  that  he  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once.] 

\y  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ  hath  suffered  for  us  in  the  flesh,  ami 
yourselves  likewise  with  the  same  mind ;  for  he  that  hath  suffered  ia  the 
flesh  hath  ceased  from  sin,  that  he  no  longer  should  live  the  rest  of  his 
time  m  the  flesh  to  the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God.] 
[^^  Feed  my  sheep.] 

—  in  there  vocacion.    Sayd  not  goblisse  abucket  of  water.  Holow, 
bowe.  Candell,  bell,  chalice,  fount,  or  ony  souch  begery,  in  the  original.] 

10 

[hooper. J 


146 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Mark  xvi.   Mar.  ulti.  Ite  in  universum  mundim,  et  proedicate  evangelium 
onrni  creaturw^ .    "  Preach  the  gospel  unto  the  world."" 

This  was  the  manner  of  Christ's  ministry  in  the  church, 
before  this  superstition  and  idolatry  was  heard  of.  So 
f  T^!if  vi    t.aught  Paul,  Acto.  xx.,  1  Tim.  vi. ;  Peter,  1  Pet.  v.  Thus 
1  Pet.v.     said  God  to  Hieremye,   Hier.  i.    Fili  hominis,  dedi  verba 
mea  in  ore  tm^.    He  that  speaketh  in  the  church,  must 
speak  the  word  of  God.   He  that  will  please  God,  must 
please  him  as  it  is  prescribed  in  the  scripture ;  or  else 
all  that  ever  he  doth  is  naught.    If  the  bishop  or  priest 
will  please  God,  or  any  other  man,  let  him  apply  only  his 
vocation  appointed  by  the  scripture,  and  as  the  scripture 
teacheth  him :  if  he  be  a  judge,  to  keep  justice  without 
respect  of  persons ;   if  a  lawyer,  to  defend  nothing  but 
the  right ;   if  a  physician,  diligently  to  cure  his  patient, 
and  not  to  take  so  many  cures  for  avarice  in  his  hand, 
as  the  one  part  may  happen  to  die,  whiles  he  cureth  the 
other;    if  a  bishop,  not  to  have  so  many  parishes  in  his 
diocese,  as  ten  diligent,  learned  men  cannot,  once  in  a 
year,  know  the  faith  of  such  souls  as  hath  the  charge  of 
Christ's  flock,  neither  how  the  poor  simple  people  beheveth. 
Examine  such  as  are  bound  to  use  the  sacraments  of  Christ's 
church  and  among  a  thousand  there  is  not  one  that  knoweth 
what  a  sacrament  is,  more  than  an  ass ;  and  to  such  the 
sacraments  be  not  profitable,  but  damnable,  as  ye  may  see, 
Isai.  i.      Esay  i.    Yea,  when  they  be  not  used  according  to  their 
institution,  God  so  abhorreth  them  as  things  repugnant 
jer.vii.     uuto  the  law  :  as  we  read,  Hiere.  vii.  J^on  prcecepi  patribus 
Psai.  1.      vestris  de  holocaustis.    Et  Psal.  1.  Holocaustis  nm  delectaberii. 
The  prophets  by  these  words  declared,  that  no  ceremonies 
are  required  of  any  man  without  the  knowledge  and  con- 
fidence  of  the  promise  confirmed  by  the  ceremony,  or 
without  true  repentance  and  faith:   for  the  sacraments  in 
the  church  of  Christ  neither  maketh  the  love  nor  recon- 
ciliation between  God  and  man,  nor  retaineth  it  not;  it 
must  be  received  and  kept  by  one  means,  to  say,  by  lively 

P  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.] 
P  Son  of  man,  (behold,)  I  have  put  my  words  in  thy  mouth.] 
P  I  spake  not  unto  your  fathers,  nor  commanded  them  concern- 
ing burnt-offerings.   And,  Thou  delightest  not  in  burnt-offering.  Psal. 
li.  16.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


147 


faith,  Romans  v.     Judas  by  the  sacrament  received  not  Rom-  v. 
the  promise,   nor  by  the  sacrament  was  preserved  from 
desperation,  Matt.  xxvi.  Matt.  xxvi. 

But  he  that  will  be  the  friend  of  God,  and  godly  use  his 
sacraments,  must  use  them  after  the  form  prescribed  by  him 
only,  and  know  what  a  sacrament  is  by  him ;  to  say,  an  holy 
ceremony,  a  work  of  the  third  commandment,  who  saith. 
Memento  ut  diem  sabbati  sanctijices\  Exod.  xx. ;  and  before  the  Exod.  xx. 
works  of  the  third  commandment,  wherein  all  ceremonies  are 
contained,  must  always  precede  the  works  of  the  first  com- 
mandment and  of  the  second,  an  inward  faith  and  certain 
knowledge  of  God,  and  an  outward  profession  of  his  holy 
name,  to  ascertain^  the  church  that  he  is  God's  friend  and 
reconciled  in  Christ ;  or  else  it  were  a  preposterous  order,  to 
set  the  cart  before  the  horse :  like  as  if  the  king's  majesty's 
officers  should  give  his  livery  unto  him  that  the  king  never 
meant  to  take  into  his  service,  so  to  wear  his  livery  without 
profit. 

This  I  desired  to  admonish  the  good  christian  reader 
of,  before  I  entered  the  disputation  of  this  most  holy 
cause,  concerning  the  blessed  sacrament  of  Christ's  holy 
passion  and  death ;  that  he  should  know,  that  God 
giveth  his  graces  and  promise  of  remission  of  sin,  only 
for  Christ's  sake,  which  we  receive  by  invisible  faith,  and 
stablish  the  same  by  the  use  and  exercise  of  sensible 
sacraments ;  the  which,  in  place  and  time,  are  never  to  be 
spoken  against  with  tongue,  nor  wroten  against  by  pen. 

Now,  that  these  words  can  make  no  alteration  of  the 
bread  and  wine,  nor  make  the  natural,  corporal,  nor  physical 
presence  of  Christ's  body;  the  first  reason  is,  that  the 
words.  Hoc  est  corpus  mevm^,  proveth  that  the  bread  is 
already  the  body,  before  the  words  be  spoken,  or  else  they 
misname  the  thing,  and  call  bread  flesh.  The  second  reason : 
if  the  words,  and  the  thing  meant  by  the  words,  be  one, 
then  is  the  cup,  and  not  the  wine  in  the  cup,  the  testament 
in  Christ's  blood,  Luke  xxii.,  1  Cor.  xi.  Thirdly,  if  it  were  mke  xxh. 
the  very  body  of  Christ  corporally  present,  Christ's  words 
were  not  true ;  for  he  bid  them  do  it  in  the  remembrance  of 
him.    Now,  the  remembrance  of  a  thing  is  not  the  same 

Remember  the  sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy.] 
Ascertain :  assure.]  This  is  my  body.] 

10—2 


148 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


self  thing  that  is  remembered;  as  many  men  use  to  re- 
member a  weighty  matter  by  a  little  ring  upon  their 
finger.  If  Christ's  most  honourable  body  were  present 
corporally  in  the  sacrament,  it  were  no  need  remembrance 
at  all ;  for  the  thing  present  presenteth  itself  without  the 
help  of  memory. 

Turn  they  which  ways  they  Ust,  these  words,  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum,  will  not  serve  for  their  purpose,  except  they  add  their 
interpretation.  The  best  gloss  they  have  is  this,  that  these 
words.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  bringeth  with  them  the  body  of 
Christ.  But  this  is  their  interpretation  of  the  text,  and  not 
the  meaning  of  the  text.  Ponder  every  word,  and  first 
this  pronoun,  hoc;  which  demonstrative  they  refer  unto  the 
bread  and  wine  only,  howbeit  we  may  with  Saint  Paul 
refer  hoc  unto  the  whole  action  and  ceremony  of  the  sup- 
per, as  well  as  unto  the  bread  and  wine.  Paul  saith  not, 
Hie  panis  est  communio  corporis  Christi^,  as  though  we 
should  think  that  he  spake  of  the  bread  only ;  but  with 
plain  words  saith,  Panis  quern  frangimus^,  to  declare  that 
the  bread  is  not  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body,  till  it  be 
broken  unto  the  church,  according  to  the  institution  of 
Christ ;  a  spiritual  meat,  as  Paul  calleth  it ;  so  that  the 
bread  lift  up  over  the  priest's  head,  nor  kept  in  the  box, 
is  not  the  sacrament,  but  the  bread  rightly  distributed. 
And  in  the  same  place,  he  calleth  the  bread  broken  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  by  the  which  is  understood  the  whole 
institution  of  Christ's  supper.  And  where  men  contend  so 
much  of  this  word,  corpus,  repeating  the  whole.  Hoc  corpus 
meum;  St  Paul,  the  true  interpreter  of  Christ's  words,  re- 
solveth  them  thus :  Nonne  panis  quern  fra/ngimus  commmio 
corporis  Christi  est^  f  Where  Christ  said,  "  This  is  my  body," 
Paul  saith,  "  Is  not  the  bread  that  we  break  a  communion 
of  the  body  of  Christ?" 

Now,  what  difference  is  between  the  communion  of  a 
body,  and  the  body  itself,  and  what  Paul  meant  by  this 
word  coenonia,  communion,  it  will  be  best  known  by  the 
process  of  the  text,  when  we  perceive  what  Paul's  purpose 

p  This  bread  is  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ.3 
P  The  bread  which  we  break.  1  Cor.  x.  16.] 

The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body 
of  Christ?    1  Cor.  x.  16.] 


BISHOP   OF  WINCHESTEk's  BOOK. 


149 


was  to  prove  in  the  same  place.  Paul  meant,  in  that  place, 
to  withdraw  such  as  had  received  the  faith  of  Christ  at 
Corinth,  from  feasting  of  such  as  used  to  eat  of  the  meats 
dedicated  unto  idols.  Logismos  talis  est*.  His  considera- 
tion and  intention  was,  to  declare  that  it  was  idolatry  to  eat 
of  idols'  meat  with  idolaters ;  and  proveth  his  proposition, 
deducing  his  argument  a  comparatis^  If  the  Israelites,  in 
eating  the  sacrifices  dedicated  unto  God,  were  participant 
of  the  thing  that  the  sacrifices  were  offered  for,  then  such 
as  ate  of  meats  dedicated  unto  idols,  were  partakers  of  the 
same  rehgion  wherefore  these  meats  unto  idols  were  offered. 

The  first  part  of  the  reason  is  true,  by  the  words  that 
he  allegeth  out  of  Moses,  Videte  IsraeUm  jmta  carnem,  4rc.® 
They  were  sure  to  be  partakers  of  the  temple,  that  ate  the 
meat  dedicated  unto  the  temple ;  so  were  they  sure  that 
ate  of  the  meats  dedicated  unto  idols,  partakers  of  idolatry. 
Therefore  Paul  concludeth  thus:  Non  potestis poculum  Domini 
bibere,  et  poculwm  dcemoniomm.  Non  potestis  mensce  Domini 
participes  esse,  et  mensoe  doemoniorwm? .  They  that  commu- 
nicated with  the  fideles  were  participant  of  their  religion: 
they  that  communicated  with  idolaters  were  Hkewise  par- 
ticipant of  the  idolatry. 

Now,  the  same  ways  that  the  infideles  were  participant  of 
the  devils  that  they  worshipped,  the  same  ways  the  fideles  were 
participant  of  Christ's  body.  In  false  faith  were  they  knit  and 
unite  unto  the  devil;  in  true  faith  the  fideles  unite  unto  Christ. 
And  as  the  idolaters  did  not  by  hand,  with  the  meat  dedi- 
cated unto  idols,  exhibit  and  deliver  the  devil  to  him  that 
ate  of  the  devil's  sacrament;  so  those  that  ate  of  the  bread 
broken  by  the  minister,  as  Christ  commanded,  had  not  the  body 
of  Christ  delivered  by  hand  unto  them,  but  were  in  communion 
and  society  with  Christ,  and  therefore  did  eat  of  one  bread, 
dedicated  to  be  the  mystery  of  his  glorious  death.  So  doth 
Paul's  argument  proceed,  that  because  we  are  by  faith  one 
body  mystically  with  Christ,  we  eat  of  one  mystical  bread, 
to  testify  the  same.    Qmniam,  inquit,  unus  panis  et  mum 

[*  Such  is  his  reasoning.]  By  comparison.] 

P  Behold  Israel  after  the  flesh,  &c.    1  Cor.  x.  18.] 

['  Ye  cannot  drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord  and  the  cup  of  devils:  ye 

cannot  be  partakers  of  the  Lord's  table  and  of  the  table  of  devils. 

1  Cor.  X.  21.] 


150 


ANSWER    TO  THE 


corpus  midti  sumus  :  nam  omnes  ex  eodem  pane  participamua^, 
1  Cor.  X.  1  Corin.  x.  Paul  in  this  place  put  two  churches,  one  of 
Christ,  and  the  other  of  the  devil.  All  those  at  Corinth 
that  were  of  Christ's  church  came  unto  Chrisfs  sacrament, 
participated  and  communicated  with  the  company  and  society 
of  Christ's  body.  Such  as  were  infideles,  or  such  as  were  nei- 
ther hot  nor  cold,  associated  themselves  with  like  unto  them- 
selves, and  so  declared  manifestly  that  they  were  of  the  devil, 
as  the  other  were  of  God.  Not  that  the  devil  was  given,  I 
say,  by  hand,  (peradventure  he  had  other  business  at  Ephesus, 
or  otherwhere ;)  but  it  sufficed  him  that  his  members  as- 
sembled together,  and,  by  participation  of  the  meat  dedi- 
cated unto  his  idols,  in  spirit  communicated  with  his  spirit. 
3  Cor.  X.  Repeat  again  the  proposition  of  Paul,  1  Corin.  x., 

Panis  quern  frangimus  mnne  communicatio  corporis  est^  ?  In 
this  word,  communio,  dependeth  all  the  weight  of  Paul's  ar- 
gumentation. I  have  shewed  what  communion  is,  and  which 
ways  it  is  made  by  a  sacrament,  concerning  God  or  the  devil, 
in  this  place  of  Paul,  where  he  calleth  epulas  immolaticiorwm 
esse  dcemoniorum  coenoniam,  et  illarum  convims  dcemonionm 
comonous^.  As  communio  in  one  place  is  taken  in  this  pur- 
pose of  Paul,  so  must  it  be  taken  in  the  other ;  or  else  Paul 
could  prove  no  conclusion  at  all,  by  reason  of  equivocation 
of  the  word.  And  though  the  word  communio  be  indifferent, 
and  may  be  taken  both  actively  and  passively,  ut  apud  La- 
tinos commimicare  dicimur,  sive  aliis  impartiamus  aliquid,  sive 
ipsi  cim  aliis  in  participationem  mniamus^ ;  but  in  this  place 
of  Paul  it  cannot  be  taken  actively,  as  men  say,  that  the 
minister  doth  exhibit  and  give  by  hand  the  corporal  body 
of  our  most  blessed  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  For  in  case 
Paul  had  meant  any  exhibition,  distribution,  or  deliverance 
of  Christ's  body,  he  would  have  declared  his  mind  after 
another  sort;  and  have  said.  We  are  one  body,  and  that 

P  For  we  being  many  (he  says)  are  one  bread  and  one  body ;  for  we 
are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread,  ver.  17.] 

P  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  ? 
ver.  16.] 

P  The  feasts  of  them  that  immolate  to  be  the  communion  of  devils, 
and  the  guests  at  these  feasts  the  communicants  {fellows,  in  Wiclif 's  and 
the  Rhemish  translations)  of  devils.] 

[*  As  in  Latin  we  are  said  to  communicate,  whether  we  impart  any 
thing  to  others,  or  whether  we  ourselves  participate  with  others.] 


BISHOP  OF   WINCHKSTEr's  BOOK. 


151 


for  the  distribution  and  deliverance  of  Christ's  body;  and 
not  have  said,  W e  are  one  body,  and  that  by  the  participa- 
tion of  one  bread. 

These  words  sheweth  plainly,  that  Paul  meant  nothing 
of  giving  or  distributing  of  Christ's  body,  but  taught  the 
Corinthians  that  such  as  did  eat  of  this  holy  sacrament, 
according  to  the  institution  of  Christ,  were  partakers  of 
the  spiritual  graces  and  communion  of  Christ's  body  and 
blood,  represented  by  the  bread.  And  as  Christ  was  not 
really  nor  corporally  present  in  those  sacraments  and  sacri- 
fices of  the  Israelites,  that  signified  Christ  to  come,  but  by 
faith  in  effect  they  received  the  thing  meant  and  repre- 
sented by  the  sacrifices ;  so  likewise  we,  though  that  glorious 
body  of  Christ  be  in  heaven,  that  this  holy  and  most 
honourable  sacrament  representeth,  yet,  when  with  true 
penitence  we  receive  the  external  sacrament,  faith  receiveth 
the  effect  of  that  precious  body  represented  by  the  sacra- 
ment. This  is  Paul's  doctrine :  he  meant  of  no  deliverance 
nor  exhibition  of  that  body  ascended  into  heavens. 

There  is  no  place  of  the  scripture  sheweth  the  nature  of 
Christ's  supper  better  than  this  place  of  Paul,  whose  purpose 
was  only  to  destroy  this  error  among  the  Corinthians,  that  was 
repugnant  to  true  religion.  Such  as  had  professed  one  God, 
thought  yet  they  might  eat  and  drink  with  infidels,  of  such 
meats  as  was  offered  unto  idols.  Paul  denieth  it,  and  saith. 
No  man  can  be  the  member  of  two  contrary  churches.  I 
would  such  as  God  hath  given  knowledge  unto,  what  is  true 
and  what  is  false,  would  likewise  remember  these  words 
better,  and  refrain  from  the  doing  of  such  things  as  their 
own  conscience  is  persuaded  to  be  ill.  They  be  too  favour- 
able unto  themselves  a  great  deal,  and  extenuate  God's  ire 
and  displeasure  against  idolatry  too  much.  They  will  not  be 
able  to  make  good  their  act  at  the  coming  of  the  great 
Judge  to  judgment,  to  save  a  little  muck  and  inconstant 
treasure  of  this  world,  and  to  offend  the  majesty  of  the  living 
God,  that  hath  power  to  lose  both  body  and  soul  in  eternal 
fire.  Better  it  were  to  follow  the  commandment  of  Paul, 
Carissimi,  fugite  idolatriam  :  vobis  prudentibus  loqmr^  God 
hath  given  unto  many  men  this  prudence,  to  know  that  the 

P  Dearly  beloved,  flcr  from  idolatry.  T  speak  as  to  Avisi-  men. 
1  Cor.  X.  14,  1.5.1 


152 


ANSWER  TO  THK 


mass  is  ill ;  yet  as  ill  as  it  is,  they  let  neither  to  say  it  nor 
to  hear  it,  which  is  very  idolatry,  and  shall  be  cruelly  re- 
venged^ without  they  amend. 

The  nature  of  man,  by  the  infection  of  original  sin, 
is  so  corrupted,  and  the  heart  so  oppressed  with  contrary 
motions  and  violent  resistance  unto  virtue,  that  men 
never  consent  so  willingly  and  stedfastly  unto  the  know- 
ledge of  virtue,  as  they  should  do.  Rom.  i..  Bed  mritatem 
Dei  in  injustitia  detinenf.  This  knowledge  that  men  hath 
of  God  is  detained  with  injustice,  as  prisoner  captive :  it 
can  bear  no  rule  in  the  soul  for  the  impetie^  of  injustice, 
which  repugneth  this  true  knowledge.  The  man  is  drawn 
with  his  own  lusts  and  love  of  the  world  unto  the  contempt 
of  God,  and  consenteth  not  unto  his  true  knowledge,  nei- 
ther unto  the  law  that  forbiddeth  all  dishonesty  and  idol- 
atry. This  aversion  and  malicious  obstinacy  of  the  will 
must  be  daily  mortified;  or  else  it  will  work  thine  eternal 
displeasure,  and  make  thee  the  everlasting  enemy  of  God. 
Lament  abuse  of  knowledge,  and  that  thou  consentest  not 
as  well  and  as  soon  to  the  judgment  of  reason,  and  fol- 
low it  in  the  principles  practive,  as  speculative. 

No  man  doubteth  of  this  principle,  "  two  and  two  to  be 
four,"  "  four  and  four  eight,"  with  all  other  geometrical  and 
physical  principles.  Men  doth  not  only  acknowledge  them 
to  be  true,  but  consenteth  unto  the  same  knowledge.  The 
other  should  be  likewise  as  manifest,  and  as  soon  consented 
unto  as  these;  to  say,  the  whole  natural  diversity  of  all 
things,  honest  and  dishonest.  And  this  light  in  man's 
reason  the  philosophers  call,  Notitiam  principiorum^.  And 
man  should  consent  unto  these  principles  and  knowledge 
of  them :  scilicet,  Deo  ohediendum  esse,  adulterium  est  mtan- 
dum,  honesta  pacta  sunt  servanda ;  quod  tibi  nan  vis  fieri, 
alteri  ne  facias^.  These,  I  say,  should  be  as  soon  consented 
unto,  as  to  consent,  quod  bis  quatuor  sunt  octo^ 

[}  Cruelly  revenged :  severely  punished.] 

P  But  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness.] 

P  Impetie :  probably  impetus,  or  impetuosity.] 

A  knowledge  of  first  principles.] 
Q°  Namely,  that  God  is  to  be  obeyed,  adultery  is  to  be  avoided, 
honest  engagements  are  to  be  observed;  that  which  you  would  not 
another  should  do  to  you,  do  not  to  another.] 
That  twice  four  are  eight.] 


BtSHOP  OP  WINCHESTEr"'s  BOOK. 


15S 


The  knowledge  remaineth  of  these  things,  but  the  assent 
is  infirm,  by  reason  of  contumacy  and  rebellion  of  the  heart ; 
of  all  enemies  an  enemy  most  to  be  feared,  whom  Paul  de- 
scribeth  with  these  words  :  Sensus  carnis  inimicitia  est  contra 
Dmm'':  an  horrible  description  of  mans  natures,  that  it  is  the 
perpetual  enemy  of  God,  and  will  not  be  subject  unto  the 
law  of  God.  This  infirmity  maketh  that  men  be  nor  hot 
nor  cold ;  cannot  tell  which  part  to  take  ;  in  their  chamber 
to  profess  God,  where  as  none  can  bear  record  but  a  mouse, 
nor  none  [be]  edified  by  his  knowledge ;  abroad  in  the  world, 
where  as  God  should  be  spoken  of,  they  know  him  not; 
but  as  wise  and  discreet  men,  will  do  then  as  the  most 
part  of  people  doth,  and  would  all  were  well,  though  not 
long  of  them ;  for  they  will  keep  silence  for  ever,  rather 
than  to  speak  as  they  know,  yea,  and  with  their  example 
stablish  the  thing  that  they  know  is  naught.  If  God  be 
God,  why  are  people  for  fear  so  ashamed  to  confess?  If 
he  be  not  God,  let  him  go.  God  abhorreth  such  as  be 
nor  hot  nor  cold.  If  Christ's  body  be  in  heaven,  where- 
fore is  any  man  so  hardy  to  resort  unto  the  place,  where  as 
the  priests  of  Baal  make  a  piece  of  bread  both  God  and 
man,  and  teacheth  people  to  honour  it  ?  Why  doth  they 
not  consent  unto  their  knowledge,  and  follow  it  ?  He  that 
is  partaker  of  the  sacrifice  in  the  altar,  is  partaker  of 
the  religion  meant  by  the  sacrifice;  and  those  that  be  par- 
takers of  like  signs  and  sacraments,  be  declared  thereby  to 
be  the  members  of  one  church.  We  are  unite  and  knit 
together,  made  one  by  one  spirit  of  truth :  why  should 
we  break  this  knot  by  external  ceremonies  ?  We  are  not 
made  [one]  by  eating  of  Christ's  body  corporally,  neither 
the  scripture  teacheth  oi^  no  such  union  between  him  and 
his  church,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God  received  by  faith ;  as 
thou  mayest  well  perceive  how  God  the  Father  and  his 
Son  our  Saviour  hath  given  this  ofiice  and  defence  unto 
the  Holy  Spirit,  like  God  with  them.  Remember  thy  creed, 
Credo  in  Spiritum  Sanctim,  sancfam  ecclesiam  cathoUcam, 
sanctorum  commmiionem^ ;  and  think,  that  it  is  by  the  giving 
of  God's  Spirit  into  our  hearts,  for  the  most  merciful  death 

\]  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God.   Rom.  viii.  7.] 
[8  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  holy  Cathohck  Church ;  the 
Communion  of  Saints.] 


154 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


of  Christ,  that  niaketh  this  communion  of  saints,  which  is 
the  church  of  Christ :  and  thus,  already  conjoined  with  God, 
we  receive  the  holy  meat  of  his  blessed  body  in  spirit  by 
faith;  not  to  make  the  union  between  God  and  us,  but 
confirm  the  union  in  ourselves,  and  to  shew  the  league  of 
amity  unto  the  church. 

And  to  understand  the  better  what  this  word,  cwnonia, 
communio^,  is,  read  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  first  epistle  of 
John,  where  as  this  word  commumio  is  four  times  rehearsed. 
There  shalt  thou  see  the  communion  between  Christ's  body 
and  us,  how  it  is  made,  and  by  what  means.  And  then 
1  Cor.  X.  shalt  thou  see  that  Paul,  1  Cor.  x.  and  John  so  well  agreeth 
to  mine  interpretation,  that  the  christian  reader  will  be 
satisfied,  I  trust,  in  the  Lord. 

For  as  all  the  true  subjects,  sworn  to  the  king,  by 
their  faith  and  allegiance  are  prest^  and  ready ;  wheresoever 
they  see  the  king's  banner  spleyde^,  resort  thereunto  and 
say,  "  Whatsoever  the  king  hath  to  do,  or  with  whomsoever 
he  hath  enmity  withal,  I  will  associate  myself  to  be  of  this 
part,  tide  what  betide,  mayhap  weal  or  woe ;  unto  this 
prince  I  unite  my  life  and  death :  the  cause,  he  is  my 
lord ;  the  making  good  and  reason  of  the  cause,  I  am 
his  sworn  subject,  faith  given,  and  my  conscience  bound: 
therefore  to  manifest  mine  obedience  and  love,  by  this  ban- 
ner I  proclaim  life  and  death  against  his  contraries":  so  those 
that  be  Christ's,  when  they  see  the  banner  of  Christ,  the 
holy  supper  and  sacrament  of  the  death  that  won  the  vic- 
tory of  death  and  the  devil,  they  will  there  live  and  die, 
with  this  banner  to  declare  their  obedience. 

They  that  be  not  of  Christ,  they  care  not  under  whose 
banner  they  be :  so  the  avarice*  mind  and  detestable  love  of 
the  world  be  satisfied,  it  is  good  enough  to  them,  with  yea 
forsooth,  and  nay  forsooth,  as  inconstant  as  the  wind :  like 
unto  the  bishops'  laws  in  England,  that  ten  times  hath  been 
changed,  sithens'  I  knew  the  right  hand  from  the  left ;  and 
yet  were  they  proclaimed  as  most  certain  and  infallible 

Koivavia:  communion.]] 

Prest :  not  dilatory.  .Tohnson.J 
l^'*  Spleyde :  displayed.] 

Avarice:  avaricious.] 
[■''  Sithens:  since] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


155 


verities,  with  great  penalty,  as  much  as  life  was**  worth. 
But  what  man  will  be  so  made"  to  lead  his  conscience  by 
such  inconstant  persons,  that  hath  laws  to  damn  one  year 
and  to  save  another;  that  that  is  good  and  catholic  this 
year,  shall  be  heresy  the  next  year?  They  be  more  in- 
constant than  the  wind.  Our  Lord  of  his  mercy  amend 
them,  and  give  them  grace  to  know  their  offences,  and  to 
promote  the  only  word  of  God,  and  teach  the  people  thereby 
to  know  God  and  his  sacraments  ! 

They  would  stablish  the  carnal  presence  of  Christ's  body  in 
the  sacrament  by  the  words  of  Christ,  John  vi. :  Panis  (jueyn  joim  vi. 
ego  dabo  caro  mea  est,  quam  ego  dabo  pro  mundi  vita.  "The 
bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life 
of  the  world."  They  say,  that  the  first  part  of  Christ's  words 
is  a  promise  unto  the  church,  to  eat  his  precious  body  in 
the  sacrament,  Panis  qmm  ego  dabo  caro  mea  est^ ;  and  that 
Christ  performed  this  promise  in  his  last  supper,  when  he 
made  the  bread  his  body :  and  the  rest  of  the  words,  quam 
ego  dabo  pro  mundi  mta'^,  is  a  promise  that  his  body  should 
be  slain  for  the  redemption  of  the  world.  Thus  they  in- 
terpretate  the  words  of  Christ,  because  daho  is  twice  re- 
peated. "  By  the  first  daho  he  promised  his  real  and  cor- 
poral body  in  the  sacrament :  by  the  second  dabo  he 
promised  the  death  of  his  body."  So  that  they  would  these 
words.  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  should  be  the  fulfilling  and 
deliverance  of  Christ's  promise,  John  vi. :  Panis  quem  ego  Joim  vi. 
dabo  caro  mea  est^.  Read  the  whole  sermon  of  Christ, 
John  vi.,  and  then  thou  shalt  perceive  that  this  interpre- 
tation cannot  be  admitted. 

Christ  meant  to  bring  his  audience  unto  the  know- 
ledge of  faith,  that  they  might  be  partakers  of  God's  pro- 
mises through  him  only;  and  shewed  them  that  he  was  the 
bread  of  consolation  and  solace,  to  satisfy  the  conscience 
of  every  hungry  and  afilicted  person.  £Jgo  sum  panis  qui 
de  coelo  descendi :  siquis  ederit  de  hoc  pane,  vivet  in  ceter- 
num.     Et  panis  quem  ego  dabo,  caro  mea  est,  quam  ego 

\^  lieue  wz.    So  in  the  original.] 
\]  Made  :  i.  e.  forced ;  unless  it  should  be  mad.~\ 
The  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh.] 
P  Which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.] 


156 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


dabo  pro  mwndi  mta^.  Now  mark  the  words:  "  The  bread 
that  I  shall  give  is  my  flesh."  He  promised  to  give  the 
bread,  by  these  first  words,  that  was  his  flesh:  but  how 
to  give  it  ?  to  be  eaten,  or  to  be  beaten  ?  to  be  in- 
visible in  the  mouth  of  the  apostles,  or  visible  with  all 
opprobrie  and  contempt  before  his  judges?  to  be  lift  up 
over  the  priest's  head,  and  there  sacrificed,  or  else  upon 
the  cross  to  sacrifice  himself?  Christ,  that  always  pro- 
miseth,  with  the  thing  promised,  how  the  thing  promised 
may  be  received  and  used,  prescribeth  the  manner  how, 
and  after  what  sort,  he  would  give  his  flesh  unto  the 
world :  Quam  dabo  pro  mundi  vita,  "  I  will  give  it  for  the 
life  of  the  world."  His  body,  rent  and  torn  upon  the  cross, 
was  the  form  and  manner  how  he  would  give  it  for  the  life 
of  the  world :  not  to  be  in  the  sacrament,  but  to  die  upon 
the  cross,  as  this  relative  quam  declareth,  quam  ego  dabo  pro 
mundi  vita.  The  same  flesh  that  he  spake  of  in  the  first 
part  of  the  sentence,  Panis,  quern  ego  dabo,  caro  mea,  of  the 
same  he  speaketh  in  the  second  part,  quam  dabo  pro  mundi 
vita.  And  as  the  one  part  of  the  sentence  speaketh  of  his 
body  to  be  slain,  and  not  eaten,  so  doth  the  other.  This 
may  be  proved  by  Christ's  words  in  the  same  place ;  for  he 
speaketh  of  his  body  that  should  give  life  unto  the  world  ^, 
which  only  is  by  the  body  slain,  and  not  eaten,  as  Paul  saith, 
Rom.  vi.     Rom.  vi.,  Heb.  ix.  and  x. 

Heb.ix.&x.         API  1  • 

As  for  the  sacramental  eatmg,  where  as  Christ's  insti- 
tution is  truly  observed,  there  is  nothing  but  a  memory 
Johnvi.  of  this  death,  whereof  Christ  altogether  spake  in  the  sixth 
of  John,  and  intepretateth  many  times  in  that  place  this 
word  "eat"  for  "believe" :  Qui  confidit,  inquif,  mihi,  habet 
vitam  ceternam^.  Neither  the  repetition  of  this  word,  dabo, 
is  none  other  thing  than  accustomed  repetition  of  one  and 
the  same  thing  by  more  express  words.  It  is  no  marvel 
that  people,  for  lack  of  knowledge  and  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  so  obstinately  defend  the  carnal  and  bodily  eating  of 

[}  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven :  if  any  man 
eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  for  ever :  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is 
my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.    John  vi.  61.] 
P  Shuld  yeue  lyue  un  to  the  worold,  in  the  original.] 
p  He  that  believeth  (saith  he)  on  me  hath  eternal  life.  John  vi.  47.] 


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157 


the  body ;  for  Christ,  with  all  his  words,  could  not  bring  his 
carnal  audience  to  a  spiritual  understanding,  as  he  meant. 

These  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  et,  Panis  quern  fran- 
gimus,  nonne  communicatio  corporis  Christi  est?  et,  Panis  quern 
ego  daio  pro  mundi  vita*,  must  be  taken  as  Christ  meant 
them,  and  as  they  may  best  agree  with  the  other  places  of 
the  scripture.  Wonderful  detriment  should  our  faith  take, 
if  these  words  should  not  be  taken  with  convenient  tropes 
and  figures.  Without  a  trope,  lo !  what  should  follow  ? 
Christ's  body  to  be  pantotopon^.  Christ  must  have  so  great 
a  body  as  might  fill  heaven  and  earth,  if  it  be  corporally 
present  both  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  Also,  it  were  in  vain 
to  look  for  him  at  the  day  of  judgment,  or  to  complain  that 
the  spouse  is  taken  away  from  us.  For,  as  they  say,  they 
have  him  sure  enough  in  the  pix,  and  will  have  till  the 
worWs  end.  If  it  be  true,  I  will  say  no  more,  Inde  ven- 
turus  judicare  vivos  et  mortuos  ®.  It  needeth  not  to  believe 
that  he  shall  come  from  heaven  to  judge  the  quick  and  dead, 
but  to  believe  that  he  shall  come  out  of  the  pix  that  hangeth 
at  every  altar,  now  here  invisible,  and  then  shall  be  sensible. 
But  how  can  this  learning  agree  with  the  scripture,  that  saith, 
Videte  et  palpate,  quia  spiritus  carnem  et  ossa  non  habeat,  quae 
me  videtis  habere''  ?  Luke  xxiv.  Luke  xxiv. 

How  doth  this  learning  that  saith  Christ's  body  to 
be  every  where,  agree  with  the  words  of  the  angels,  Sur- 
rexit,  non  est  hie,  venite  et  videte  locum^,  ^c?  Matth.  xxviii.  Matt. xxviii. 
Pauperes  halebitis  vobiscum,  me  non  habebitis^.  Understand 
the  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  without  a  trope,  and 
there  shall  follow  such  contradiction  in  the  scripture  as 
may  not  be  admitted.  Better  it  is  to  understand  one 
place  by  many,  than  many  should  be  made  false  by  the  mis- 
taking of  one.    They  would  agree  these  places  with  invisibi- 

£*  This  is  my  body.  And,  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  And,  The  bread  which  I  will 
give  for  the  life  of  the  world.] 

UavTOTOTTov.  in  every  place.] 

From  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.] 
[J  Handle  me  and  see :  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  ye  see 
me  have.] 

P  He  is  not  here ;  for  he  is  risen  come  see  the  place,  &c.] 

Ye  shall  have  the  poor  with  you,  but  me  ye  shall  not  have.  Matt, 
xxvi.  11.] 


158 


ANSWER    TO  THE 


liter^  and  modo  coslestP,  to  say  that  Christ's  very  natural 
body  is  here,  but  insensible,  and  doth  occupy  no  place,  although 
it  be  as  very  natural  and  true  a  body  as  man's  body  is,  ex- 
cept sin  and  immortality.  Sed  hoc  dicere  facilius  est  qmm 
docere :  "  It  is  not  sufficient  to  say,  but  to  prove  that  they 
say."  This  argument  cannot  be  denied  in  Aristotle's  school: 
Corpus  est  jfinitum,  ergo  est  in  loco^.  If  Christ  have  a  true 
body,  it  must  occupy  place.  In  the  sacrament  it  occupieth 
no  place  :  then  it  foUoweth,  it  is  not  there. 

Other  probation  have  they  none,  but  only  the  sound  of 
these  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum.    The  meaning  of  the  words 
be  against  them.  A  man  may  not  take  the  letter  without  the 
sense,  in  a  matter  of  weight.    Cicero,  the  ethnic,  so  willeth  : 
Semper  autem  in  fide  quid  senseris,  non  quid  dixeris  cogitcm- 
dum'^,  1  Lib.  Offic.  Because  we  shduld  never  be  troubled  with 
these  glosses,  "invisible,"  "insensible,"  and  "miraculousment," 
he  caused  his  immortal  and  glorified  flesh  to  be  sensible,  touch- 
Jobn  XX.    ed  and  tried  by  the  fingers  of  Thomas,  J ohn  xx.   As  for  the 
Ephes.  jy.   words  of  Paul,  ad  Ephes.  iv.,  Philip,  ii.,  that  seem  to  shew 
Philip,  u.    (^jjj.jg^.'g  ijo^y       glorified  to  occupy  no  place,  I  refer  it  to  the 
judgment  and  faith  of  the  christian  reader,  whether'  Paul  meant 
Eph.  iv.     any  such  doctrine  or  not :  Qui  descendit,  idem  ille  est  qui  etiam 
ascendit  supra  omnes  codos,  ut  impleret  omnia^.    The  authors 
of  this  doctrine  doth  allege  the  text  in  a  wrong  sense:  for 
the  scripture  in  many  other  places  doth  confess  Christ  to  be 
ascended  into  heavens;  therefore,  it  is  very  like  that  Paul 
would  not  set  him  out  of  heaven.    But  rather  by  these  words, 
"he  ascended  above  all  heavens",  he  would  amplify  the  un- 
speakable joy  of  those  glories  that  his  most  precious  body 
possesseth ;  the  which  in  the  earth  was  debased  and  abjected 
unto  most  vile  ignominy  and  contempt.    So  Paul  declareth 
these  two  contraries,  most  vile  in  the  earth,  mortal,  most 
glorious  in  heaven,  immortal.    Illud  ascendit,  quid  est,  nisi 
etiam  quod  descendat  prius  in  infimas  partes  terrce  ?  Et  addif, 

P  Invisibly.]  P  After  a  celestial  manner.] 

P  A  body  is  finite,  therefore  it  occupies  space.  See  Aristotelis  Phy- 
sicorum,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  i.] 

[*  But  in  keeping  faith,  the  meaning  and  not  the  words  are  ever 
to  be  regarded.    Cic.  de  Offic.  Lib.  i.  cap.  xiii.] 

Q°  Where,  in  the  original.] 

\y  He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  up  far  above  all 
heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things.] 


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159 


Qui  descendit  idem  ille  est  qui  ascendit  swpra  omnes  coehs^ 
Paul  doth  weigh  these  two  propositions,  and  setteth  one 
against  the  other,  In  infimas  partes  terrce  descendere,  ef  supra 
omnes  cmlos  ascender e^.  And  he  that  will  gather  by  these 
words  of  Paul  such  an  argument,  "  Christ  ascended  above  all 
heavens,  therefore  he  is  in  no  place,  for  out  of  heaven  is  no 
place,"  then  may  likewise  gather  of  the  other  words  this 
argument,  Christus  in  infimas  partes  terrce  descendit;  ergo 
nullum  locum  habuit  in  terra^ 

But  Paul,  christian  reader,  meant  no  such  subtleties  in  this 
place.  His  holy  intention  was  to  declare  both  his  unspeakable 
contempt,  that  he  had  in  this  world,  and  also  his  most  glorious 
joy  and  honour,  that  now  the  body  hath  in  heaven  ;  and  doth 
interpretate  himself,  ad  Philip,  ii.,  Quapropter  et  Deus  ilium  Phii.  ii. 
in  summam  extulit  sublimitatem,  fcc.^"  My  faith  is,  that  his 
blessed  body  is  in  heaven,  and  doth  abide  still  in  heaven,  and 
not  out  of  heaven.  Christ  said,  Uli  ego  sum.  Hi  erit  et  minister 
meus.  Erimus  autem  in  coelis,  non  extra  coelos,  aut  supra 
ccelos,  extra  omnem  scilicet  locum,  i.  [e.]  nullibp^.  Paul  saith. 
Nostra  conversatio  in  coelis  est,  ex  quo  exspectamus  et  Balva- 
torem}'^ :  and  doth  likewise  the  same,  2  Cor.  v.  This  is  a  ^  cor.  v. 
true  faith  which  I  believe. 

And  whereas  they  call  Christ's  body  a  thing  celestial 
and  divine ;  true,  it  is  immortal,  and  delivered  from  all 
mortal  qualities,  according  to  Paul's  words,  Rom.  vi.,  Vivit  Rom.  vi. 
Deo,  et  ultra  non  morietur^^.    What  can  be  inferred  hereof? 
The  fruit  of  the  blessed  Virgin  hath  not  lost  his  humanity, 

\2  Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he  also  descended  first 
into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ?  And  he  addeth,  He  that  descended  is 
the  same  also,  &c.   Eph.  iv.  9, 10.] 

P  To  descend  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth,  and  to  ascend  above 
all  heavens.] 

P  Christ  descended  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth ;  therefore  had 
he  no  place  in  the  earth.] 

po  Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  &c.]] 
[|"  Where  I  am  there  shaU  also  my  servant  be.  (John  xii.  26.)  But 
we  shall  be  in  heaven,  not  out  of  heaven,  or  above  heaven,  that  is  to  say, 
out  of  aU  space,  that  is,  no  where.] 

Our  conversation  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  we  look  for  the 
Saviour.    Phil.  iii.  20.] 

He  liveth  unto  God,  and  shall  not  die  any  more.] 


160 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


but  in  heaven  his  body  is  as  very  true  flesh  and  blood, 
as  it  was  hanging  upon  the  cross ;  immortal,  and  yet  very 
man ;  and  so  in  this  manhood  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
God. 

Seleuciani^  did  deny  that  Christ  in  his  flesh  did  sit 
at  the  right  hand  of  God ;  but  the  Christians  believe  the 
scripture.  It  is  the  nature  of  a  contentious,  arrogant,  and 
proud  heart  to  take  out  of  the  scripture  some  such  proposi- 
tions as  sound  for  their  purpose,  to  defend  a  vsrong  opinion, 
though  the  meaning  make  nothing  at  all  of  their  part.  And 
then  they  have  none  other  word  in  their  mouth,  but  thfe  holy 
word  of  God,  the  plain  and  manifest  text.  "  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  the  best  orator  of  all,  no  man  can  speak  more  plain  than 
he  :  he  has  the  most  apt  and  convenient  words  to  express 
his  mind  withal."  And  when  his  wrong-conceived  opinion 
must  be  defended,  he  setteth  the  words  of  the  scripture  in 
the  forefront  against  his  contrary ;  he  cleaveth  fast  unto  the 
letter,  will  admit  no  interpretation  but  as  he  pleaseth,  no 
collation  of  places;  he  careth  not  whether  it  agree  with 
other  places,  so  the  word  sound  for  his  purpose :  which  hath 
been  the  destruction  of  many  famous  and  excellent  clerks, 
as  I  shall  repeat  the  names  of  a  few,  to  school  the  christian 
reader  in  the  fear  of  God ;  for  it  is  not  learning  nor  wit,  that 
preserveth  the  faith  of  a  christian  man,  but  God's  singular 
graces,  which  must  be  daily  prayed  for,  that  by  affection  he 
embrace  none  opinion,  what  men  soever  he  is  fantasied-  unto, 
but  say  with  David,  Turris  fortitudinis  nomen  Dep. 

Anthropomorphitce'^  said  that  God,  that  made  man,  was 
like  unto  mortal  man;  and  took  occasion  to  err  by  these 
Gen.  i.     words,  Gen.  i.,  Faciamm  hominem  in  imagine  nostra,  secundum 
similitudinem  nostram^.    And  doubtless  the  words,  without  a 
trope,  sound  even  so ;  but  the  excellent  divines,  that  knoweth 

P  Seleuciani:  the  Seleuciaa  Hermianists,  who  (after  Hermias)  adopted 
the  errors  of  Hermogenes,  applying  stoicism  to  Christianity.  See  Ter- 
tullian  and  Origen.] 

\^  Fantasied:  inclined.] 

P  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower.   Prov.  xviii.  10.] 
\^  Anthropomorphitse.  Called  by  Epiphanius  Audiani,  from  Audius, 
a  heretic  of  the  4th  century,  and  by  St  Augustine,  Vadiani.  Rutherius, 
Bishop  of  Verona,  in  the  10th  century,  wrote  powerfully  against  this 
revived  heresy.   See  DAcheri's  Spicilegium.] 

Let  us  make  man  in  our  image  after  our  likeness.] 


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161 


by  the  scripture  what  God  is  and  what  man  is,  will  straight- 
way perceive  that  there  is  a  tropoM\  and  by  the  whole  under- 
stand the  part,  to  say,  the  soul  of  man. 

Confer  not  the  words  of  Moses,  Deut.  xxxi.,  with  the  oeut.  xxxi. 
other  places  of  the  scripture,  Pono  ante  te  honum  et  vitam, 
bmedictionem  et  maledictionem :  elige  vitam,  ut  vims,  &c.^, 
and  then  were  the  Pelagians'  doctrine  true. 

Chiliastce^,  by  these  words  of  Christ,  "  I  will  not  drink 
of  this  wine  from  henceforth,  till  I  drink  it  new  in  my 
Father's  kingdom,"  said  that  we  should  eat  and  drink  after 
this  life  in  heaven. 

Sabelliani^  said  that  God  the  Father  suffered  in  the  flesh 
as  well  as  Christ,  and  took  occasion  by  these  words  and  like, 
Ego  et  Pater  unwm  sumus.  Ego  in  Patre  et  Pater  in  me'^°. 

Hebionitce^^  said  Christ  was  only  man,  and  not  God,  as 
the  Jews  at  this  present  doth,  by  these  words,  Deus  meus, 
Deus  meus,  ut  quid  dereliquisti  meV^ 

Helvidius^^,  by  the  words  of  the  scripture  ill  taken,  con- 
ceived a  wrong  opinion  of  the  blessed  virgin  Mary,  and 
said  she  was  mother  of  more  children  than  one. 

St  Augustine'^  lib.  21,  De  Civitate  Dei,  cap.  xxv.,  writeth  of 
a  sort  of  heretics,  that  said,  whosoever  once  received  the  sacra- 
ment of  Christ's  supper,  could  never  be  damned;  and  defended 
their  opinion  with  these  words.  Ego  sum  panis  vims  qui  de 
ccelo  descendi:  si  quis  comederit  ex  hoc  pane,  vivet  in  ceternum^^. 

[*  Tropote :  trope,  a  figure  of  speech.] 

\]  I  have  set  before  thee  life  and  good,  blessing  and  cursing :  choose 
life,  that  thou  may  est  Hve,  &c.] 

P  Chiliastae  :  Millenarians.  See  Eusehius,  Eccles.  Hist.  Lib.  vii.  cap. 
xxiv.  p.  271.  1672.  See  also  L'Eucharistie  de  I'ancienne  Eglise,  par 
Edm.  Aubertin,  Genevse,  1633.  p.  338.] 

P  SabeUius.    See  Womiii  Hist.  SabeU.] 

I  and  my  Father  are  one.  John  x.  30.    I  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  in  me.   John  xiv.  11.] 

Ebionites.  See  Epiphanius,  Hseres.  xxx.  and  Eusebius,  Eccles. 
Hist.  Lib.  III.  cap.  xxvii.] 

My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  Matt,  xxvii.  46.] 

P  Helvidius,  an  Arian  of  the  4th  century,  a  disciple  of  Auxentius. 
Jerome  wrote  against  him.] 

£"  August.  Op.  Basiliae,  1543,  Tom.  v.  col.  1810,  &c.] 

f  "  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven :  if  any  man 
eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever.   John  vi.  61.] 

11 

[hooper. J 


162 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


Arius  and  Marcion,  with  many  great  learned  men,  defended 
most  detestable  heresies  by  the  mistaking  of  the  scripture : 
therefore  no  faith  ought  to  be  given  unto  the  interpreter, 
that  rather  intendeth  to  stabHsh  an  error  and  false  opinion, 
than  to  confer  place  with  place,  that  no  contradiction  be  found 
in  the  scripture,  nor  any  violation  of  our  catholic  faith. 

St  Augustine  S  Lib.  iii.  De  Doctrina  Christiana,  teacheth 
a  godly  way  to  understand  the  scripture:  he  that  will  follow 
his  counsel,  shall  not  lightly  err  in  expounding  the  scripture. 
He  sheweth  there,  when  the  words  may  be  taken,  and  when 
they  may  not  be  taken,  without  a  trope.  But,  the  more  to  be 
lamented,  such  is  now  the  condition  of  all  men  deceived  in 
religion,  for  the  most  part,  they  will  rather  run  still  the  wrong 
race  they  have  begun,  than  godly  to  return  unto  the  truth : 
they  will  not  repent,  lest  they  should  seem  to  have  erred ; 
such  is  the  state  and  condition  of  our  miserable  nature. 
Where  as  there  lacketh  probation  of  the  thing  that  should  be 
proved,  they  tarry  in  the  letter  ill  understood,  and  tumeth 
themselves  ad  petitionem  principii^.  Ask  how  they  prove, 
and  why  they  make  an  alteration  of  the  bread,  and  what 
place  of  the  scripture  proveth  their  proposition  2  They  flee 
unto  the  text,  Hoc  est  corpus  mevm.  And  for  the  probation 
of  the  proposition,  they  allege  the  proposition  itself.  Hoc 
est  corpus  mewm,  is  the  proposition  whereupon  all  this  dispu- 
tation and  contention  dependeth. 

They  must  prove  by  other  places  of  the  scripture,  that 
those  words  alter  the  substance  of  the  bread ;  what  union  is 
between  the  body  of  Christ  and  the  bread ;  and  how  this  union 
is  made,  and  where  the  scripture  proveth  the  Son  of  God  to 
come  into  the  world  to  be  bread,  and  how  he  cometh,  and  what 

Nam  in  principio  cavendum  est,  ne  figuratam  locutionem  ad  lite- 
ram  accipias  

Si  prsBceptiva  locutio  est,  aut  flagitium  aut  facinus  vetans,  aut  utilita- 
tem  aut  beneficentiam  jubens,  non  est  figurata.  Si  autem  flagitium  aut 
facinus  videtur  jubere,  aut  utilitatem  aut  beneficentiam  vetare,  figurata 
est.  Nisi  manducaveritis,  inquit,  camem  Filii  hominis,  et  sanguinem 
biberitis,  non  habebitis  vitam  in  vobis;  facinus  vel  flagitium  videtur 
jubere.  Figura  est  ergo,  prsecipiens  passioni  Domini  esse  communi- 
candum,  et  suaviter  atque  utiliter  recondendum  in  memoria,  quod  pro 
nobis  caro  ejus  crucifixa  et  vulnerata  sit.  Aug.  Op.  Basilise,  1642, 
Tom.  III.  De  doctr.  Christiana,  Lib.  iii.  col.  43  and  63.] 

P  Begging  the  question.] 


BISHOP   OP   "WINCHEaTER's  BOOK. 


163 


profit  his  body,  made  of  bread,  bringeth  into  the  world;  and 
whether  any  of  the  prophets  ever  prophesied  of  such  a  coming 
of  God's  Son  into  the  world.  Shew  the  scripture  that  proveth 
this  proposition,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  to  have  such  a  sense 
as  ye  say,  that  the  conscience  of  those  that  ye  would  have 
believe  this  your  doctrine,  may  repose  herself  in  truth  and 
verity  of  God's  word ;  or  else,  no  man  will  believe  your  doc- 
trine. If  Paul  had  no  better  fenced  this  general  proposition 
to  the  Romans,  Arbitramur  igitur  homimm  justificari  per 
fidem  absque  operibus  legis^,  than  still  to  have  repeated  the 
proposition,  there  would  neither  Jew,  neither  Gentile,  believed 
his  word  :  but  he  confirmeth  the  proposition,  and  disputeth 
the  matter  so  pro  and  contra,  that  he  confuteth  all  the 
arguments  that  seem  to  repugn  his  purpose. 

These  men  that  would  have  the  bread  to  be  turned 
into  Ood  and  man,  hath  none  other  word,  but  still,  like 
the  cock,  cry,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  and  will  hear  none  other 
lay  but,  "  This  is  my  body."  So  may  a  man,  after  the 
same  sort,  prove  our  Lady  to  be  John  the  evangelist"" 
mother,  and  say  always,  whatsoever  text  of  the  scripture 
be  brought  against  him,  as  Christ  said,  John  xix.,  Ecce  john  xix. 
mater  tua  "  Say  what  ye  list,  these  words  be  true. 
Christ  spake  them ;  they  be  plain ;  they  need  no  interpre- 
tation." If  any  man  ask  a  reason  and  confirmation  of  the 
proposition,  he  may  say  still,  Ecce  mater  tua^.  "  Ye  must 
make  no  reason  how  it  may  be :  it  sufficeth  to  have  the 
word  of  God,  the  manifest  text ;  reason  shall  not  melle^ 
with  the  matter ;  it  is  a  matter  of  faith."  And  after  this 
sort  a  man  may  likewise  prove  John  the  baptist  to  be 
the  person  of  Elias.  Is  not  this  a  marvellous  manner  of 
reasoning  ? 

When  they  be  asked  to  prove  the  proposition,  they 
repeat  the  proposition  that  is  disputable,  and  so  false  as 
they  take  it,  that  the  extreme  contrary  is  true,  as  the 
scripture  proveth,  and  calleth  the  signs  of  the  most  divine 
and  sacrate  supper  of  the  Lord  bread  and  wine,  1  Corin.  i  Cor.  x.  xi. 
x.  and  xi.  "  Whosoever  eateth  of  this  bread  unworthily, 
shall  be  culpable  of  the  body  of  Christ."    These  words  be 

P  Therefore,  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without 
the  deeds  of  the  law.    Rom.  iii.  28.] 

[*  Behold  thy  mother !]  Melle :  meddle.] 

11—2 


164 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


more  plain  to  prove  the  bread  to  remain  after  the  words, 
as  they  call  them,  of  the  consecration,  than  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum  are  to  make  a  metamorphosis  of  the  bread.  Now, 
if  it  be  "  the  devil's  sophistry,"  as  my  lord  calleth  it,  to 
believe,  with  the  authority  of  the  scripture,  with  the 
judgment  of  reason,  and  by  the  consent  and  agreement  of 
the  senses,  that  bread  is  bread,  and  that  God  changeth 
not  the  just,  true,  and  very  body  of  his  immaculate  and 
glorious  Son  in  so  little  a  room  as  two  inches  of  bread, 
then  is  the  scripture  the  deviFs  sophistry,  which  teacheth 
to  believe  that  Christ's  body  is  in  heaven,  and  bread  in 
Actsi.  iii.  the  sacrament:  Acts  i.  iii.  Matt.  xvi.  1  Cor.  x.  xi, 
fcor.x!'xi.  This  doctrine  only  hurteth  not^  the  faith  of  man,  but  also 
dishonoureth  the  dignity  of  man's  creation;  whereas  it  was 
given  him  to  be  lord  of  all  the  other  creatures  that  God 
Gen.  ii.  made,  Gen.  ii.,  and  more  to  avail  in  reason.  Now,  by 
the  malice  of  man,  this  order  of  God  is  perverted;  and 
that  that  the  birds  of  the  air,  beasts  of  the  earth,  and 
fishes  of  the  water,  know  to  be  a  creature,  man  maketh 
it  his  god,  and  proveth  himself  thereby  to  be  inferior  unto 
all  other  creatures,  which  is  no  small  offence;  the  image 
of  God  in  man  not  to  know  as  much  in  a  sensible  piece 
of  bread,  as  the  beasts,  unto  whom  God  gave  only  the 
judgment  of  senses  unto. 

Then  hath  they  another  defence  for  this  wrong  opinion 
of  the  sacrament.  They  say  it  is  done  by  miracle, 
that  the  body  of  Christ  is  present.  Doubtless,  if  I  saw 
the  body  present,  and  the  thing  done  indeed,  I  would  con- 
fess the  same,  and  that  it  were  a  great  miracle,  to  call 
Christ's  most  blessed  body  from  heaven  with  a  word.  But 
now  herein  consisteth  this  whole  matter :  miracles  of  God 
be  open,  and  the  effect  of  the  miracle  so  maketh  manifest 
the  miracle,  that  reason  is  contented  '*  that  God  should  do 
his  pleasure,  whatsoever  reason  would  attempt  to  the  contrary. 
As  for  an  example :  the  blessed  Virgin,  when  she  heard  the 
message  of  God  by  the  angel,  that  she  should  bear  a  child 
in  her  virginity,  it  passed  the  capacity  of  her  intendment ; 
and  though  reason  knew  not  how  it  might  be,  yet  sought 
reason  to  know  the  means  how  it  should  be,  and  said, 

\}  Only  hurteth  not :  not  only  hurteth.] 
P  that  reason  is  contendyth,  in  the  original.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


165 


Quomodo  fiat  istud  ?  ^  When  she  was  assured  that  it  should 
be  by  no  man,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  she  let  fall 
reason,  and  believed  the  words  of  God.  And  as  she  in 
faith  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Son  of  God,  won- 
derfully above  the  reach  of  reason ;  so  the  Son  of  God, 
made  man  in  the  belly  of  that  blessed  virgin,  naturally 
there  increased  for  the  space  of  certain  months,  and  de- 
clared unto  reason  the  fact  that  was  done  against  reason; 
so  that  reason  could  not  deny  but  that  the  blessed  Virgin 
was  with  child,  and  had  testimony  thereof  by  the  mother 
of  John  Baptist.  Unde  hoc  mihi,  ut  veniat  mater  Domini  Luke  i. 
mei  ad  me?''  Luke  i.  With  such  a  godly  greeting  as  is 
comfortable  for  every  Christian,  this  miracle  was  shewed 
afterward  unto  all  the  world  by  the  acts  that  Christ  did, 
which  proved  himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God. 

Now,  mark,  although  man  cannot  comprehend  which  ways 
a  miracle  is  done  by  reason,  yet  must  the  miracle  be  per- 
ceived and  known  by  reason.  Though  the  leper.  Matt,  viii.,  Matt.  viii. 
could  not  know  by  reason  how  he  was  healed  suddenly  of 
his  disease,  yet  perceived  he  right  well  the  effect  of  this 
miracle.  The  apostles  of  Christ,  that  knew  not  how  so- 
great  a  number  of  people,  five  thousand,  beside  women 
and  children,  should  be  fed  with  five  loaves  and  two  fishes. 
Matt,  xiv.,  Mar.  vi.,  Luc.  ix.,  John  vi.  the  miracle  that  passed  Matt.  xiv. 

AX^i*  vi 

their  reason  was  shewed,  not  only  to  their  reason,  but  Luke  ix'. 
also  unto  their  senses.  So  all  the  world,  that  was  made  ° 
of  nothing,  against  reason,  by  miracle,  is  declared  manifest 
unto  reason  and  senses,  as  we  see  at  this  day.  Now,  if 
they  would  prove  Christ's  body  by  miracle  to  be  present, 
very  God  and  man  in  the  sacrament,  though  reason  can- 
not comprehend  how  it  may  be,  yet  let  them  shew  unto 
reason  and  unto  the  senses,  that  it  is  so ;  then  men  will 
believe  it,  and  not  before.  Let  them  shew  me  any  miracle 
that  God  did  upon  the  earth,  like  unto  their  invisible 
miracle.  All  the  world  seeth  the  bread  remain,  and  no 
body  of  Christ  present ;  yet,  say  they,  it  is  there.  Is  God 
so  much  the  enemy  of  man,  to  give  him  his  senses  to  his 
destruction  ?  No.  He  hath  of  his  abundant  mercy  given 
them  to  discern  white  from  black,  sour  from  sweet,  chalk 

P  How  shaU  this  be  ?    Luke  i.  24.] 

Whence  is  this  to  me,  that  the  mother  of  my  Lord  should  come 

to  me 


166 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


from  cheese',  the  glorious  body  of  Christ  from  the  sign 
of  a  sacrament,  which  is  bread.  Their  miracle  in  the 
transubstacion^  of  bread  is  as  much  a  miracle  as  the 
miracle  of  him  that  saith,  he  will  make  whole  a  man's 
blind  eye,  and  yet  the  blind  man  seeth  nothing  the  better. 
God  useth  no  such  blind  miracles,  but  made  every  thing 
for  man  marvellously,  because  man  should  honour  him  in 
his  works,  according  to  our  faith  ^ :  Credo  in  Deum  Pa- 
trem  Omnipotentem,  Creatorem  coeli  et  terrm\  It  agreeth  as 
well  to  make  the  body  of  Christ  present  in  the  sacra- 
ment, without  his  corporal  qualities,  as  to  make  a  great 
fire  without  heat. 

Another  gloss  is  there,  which  Eckius  useth,  to  defend 
the  alteration  of  bread  withal,  and  saith,  though  Paul 
call  the  body  of  Christ  bread,  yet  it  is  no  bread  in- 
deed, but  the  very  body  of  Christ* ;  and  attempteth  to 
prove  his  saying,  by  the  rod  that  Moses  used  in  Egypt 
before  Pharao.  When  the  rod  was  turned  into  a  serpent, 
yet  was  the  serpent  called  still  a  rod.  This  simile  proveth 
Exod.  vii.  nothing ;  for  when  the  text  saith,  8ed  devoravit  nirga 
Aharon  mrgas  illorum^.  Exod.  vii.,  there  remained  nor  form 
nor  figure  of  a  rod,  but  of  a  very  horrible  and  fearful 
serpent.  If  this  place  serve  to  prove  the  alteration  of 
bread  into  the  natural  body  of  Christ,  let  them  shew  me 
the  form  of  bread  changed  into  as  natural  a  man,  as  the 
rod  was  changed  into  a  natural  serpent ;  and  then  I  am 
content.    I  will  not  dispute  of  the  name  so  greatly,  though 

P  yeuen  them  to  decern,  whit  from  blak,  so  warefrom  swet  chalke 
from  chese,  in  the  original.] 

P  transubstacion :  transubstantiation.] 
P  Our  faith  :  our  creed.] 

[*  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth.] 
Quseras  autem,  si  non  manet  in  sacramento  substantia  panis,  cur 
tandem  evangeUstae  panem  appellant?  *  *  *  *  Quod  autem  Paulus  et 
Lucas  adhuc  panem  nominant,  faciunt  id  sane  more  sacrarum  literarum, 
quse  rem  aliquam  non  semper  appellant  id  quod  jam  est,  sed  quod  ante 
fuit.  Sic  conversa  jam  virga  Moysi  in  serpentem,  similiter  et  virgis 
maleficorum  mutatis  in  dracones,  virga  Aaron  devoravit  virgas  malefi- 
corum,  ubi  scriptura  serpentem  virgam  vocat,  eo  quod  antea  serpens 
fuerat.  Paulus  etiam  sacramentum  hoc  propter  speciem  vocavit  panem, 
quoniam  adhuc  post  consecrationem  speciem  habet  et  omnia  accidentia 
panis.  Eckii  Op.  Parisiis.  1549.  Tom.  iv.  Hom.  31.  De  Transubstanti. 
folio  93.] 

\^  But  Aaron's  rod  swallowed  up  their  rods.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


167 


they  called  flesh  and  blood  bread;  but  they  must  make  demon- 
stration of  Christ's  body  unto  the  external  senses,  as  Moses 
made  of  the  serpent  unto  the  Egyptians.  When  God  called 
our  first  father  Adam,  because  he  was  created  of  the  earth, 
and  Adam  said  by  his  wife,  "  Behold,  a  bone  of  mine  bones," 
Gen.  ii.,  there  was  neither  Adam  that  had  the  form  of  earth.  Gen.  ii. 
nor  Eve  the  form  of  a  bone.  The  one  was  a  man,  and  the 
other  a  woman:  howbeit,  they  kept  still  the  name  of  the 
thing  they  were  created  of.  Change  the  form  of  bread  in 
the  sacrament,  and  make  thereof  the  form  of  a  man  :  then 
these  places  will  suffer  the  manner  of  speech  right  well, 
that  a  man  may  be  called  bread,  if  he  be  made  of  bread, 
as  well  as  a  serpent  called  a  rod,  because  he  was  made 
of  a  rod.  But  forasmuch  as  there  is  no  form  of  the  bread 
changed  in  the  sacrament ;  believe,  with  the  evangelists  and 
apostles,  that  it  is  in  matter  and  substance  very  bread,  how 
it  [is]  appointed  to  an  holy  use,  to  be  ministered  unto  the 
church  of  God,  in  the  remembrance  of  Christ's  death,  with 
these  words,  "  Christ  took  bread  and  gave  it  to  his  dis- 
ciples." Matt.  xxvi.  Luke  xxii.  1  Cor.  x.  xi.  These  men  Matt.  xxvi. 
agree  with  themselves  in  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  teacheth  1  Cor.  X.  xi. 
a  certain  doctrine.  Those  that  defend  these  masses  and 
transubstantiation  agreeth  not  with  themselves,  and  hath 
nothing  certain'.  The  one  saith  the  thing  that  corrupted 
is  nothing  but  accidents,  the  other  saith  that  it  is  the 
very  substance  of  bread.  Read  the  book  of  Innocent  III., 
De  Officio  Missce^,  where  as  be  these  words:  Quod  sicut 
miracuhse  substantia  panis  vertitur  in  corpus  Christi,  rema- 
nmtibus  accidentibus  panis,  ita  miracuhse  redire  substantia 
prions  panis  possit,  de  qua  generetur  vel  vermis  vel  quid  aliud 
taM.    Into  what  substance  the  water  mingled  in  the  cha- 

[7  See  Magister  Sentent.  Lib.  iv.  Distin.  xi.  and  xii.  Duns  Scotus 
Lib.  IV.  Distin.  xi.  Quaest.  2.] 

\^  The  following  passage  appears  to  be  that  referred  to  :  Si  vero  qu«- 
ratur  quid  a  mure  comeditur  cum  sacramentum  corroditur,  vel  quid  in- 
cineratur  cum  sacramentum  crematur ;  respondetur,  quod  sicut  miraculose 
substantia  panis  convertitur  in  corpus  dominicum,  cum  incipit  esse  sub 
Sacramento,  sic  quodammodo  miraculose  revertitur  cum  ipsum  ibi  desinit 
esse,  &c.  Innoc.  III.  Colonise.  1576.  Tom.  i.  p.  480.  Myst.  Missse. 
Lib.  IV.  cap.  xi.    See  also  cap.  ix.] 

For  as  by  miracle  the  substance  of  bread  is  changed  into  the  body 
of  Christ,  the  accidents  of  bread  remaining ;  so  by  miracle  the  substance  of 
the  former  bread  may  return,  from  which  are  generated  worms  or  the  like.] 


168 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


lice  with  the  wine  is  turned,  see  the  mind  of  Clement  in 
the  third  book  of  the  Decretals.  It  is  turned,  say  he, 
into  phlegm^  God  of  his  mercy  deliver  his  church  from  such 
doctrine  ! 

Yet  have  they  another  reason  wherewith  they  deceive 
themselves  withal  and  other.  "  The  power  of  God,  that 
can  do  all  things."  And  of  these  most  holy  words  they 
frame  many  a  false  conclusion.  Because  God  can  do  all 
things,  therefore  I  must  beheve  that  the  bread  in  the 
sacrament  is  turned  into  the  body  of  Christ.  I  would 
believe  it,  were  it  not  against  his  word.  Now  against  his 
word  he  will  do  nothing,  as  full  christianly  saith  TertuUian 
against  Marcion:  Posse  Deum,  nihil  aliud  est  quam  wile;  et 
6  contrario  non  posse,  idem  esse  in  Deo  quod  mlM. 

It  is  the  office  of  a  Christian  to  know  what  God  can  do 
by  the  word  of  God,  and  not  to  be  curious  to  search  what 
his  absolute  power  is.  He  could  save  the  damned  souls 
in  hell,  but  he  will  not:  it  were  against  his  word:  Nm 
remittetur  in  hoc  sceculo,  neque  in  fwturo^.  He  could  have 
saved  Adam  and  all  his  posterity,  otherwise  than  by  the 
death  of  his  only  Son :  for  Augustine  saith,  Lib.  iv.  Be 
Trinitate,  Mors  Ohristi  non  fuit  necessitatis,  sed  suw  whn- 
tatis  et  potestatis* :  but  he  would  not.  By  the  cruelty  of 
his  death  he  would  have  us  to  know  how  horrible  a  thing 
sin  is  before  the  face  of  God,  and  thereby  teach  us  to 
beware  how  we  fall  into  his  displeasure.  But  we  be  trunks, 
and  in  manner  insensible:  nothing  moveth  us  to  virtue. 
He  is  more  curious  than  wise,  to  search  to  know  the  thing 
that  appertaineth  not  unto  him  to  know.    It  is  the  next 

[}  Innocent  III.  condemned  this  opinion  and  said:  Illud  fuisse  nefa- 
rium  opinari...in  sacramento  videlicet  Eucliaristiae  aquam  in  phlegma 
converti.   Corp.  Jur.  Can.  Decretal.  Greg.  IX.  Lib.  in.  Tit.  41.  c.  8.] 

P  That  God  can,  is  nothing  else  than  that  he  will;  and  on  the  con- 
trary, that  he  cannot,  is  the  same  with  God  as  that  he  will  not.  Tertul- 
lian's  words  are :  Dei  enim  posse,  velle  est ;  et  non  posse,  nolle-  Tertul. 
Op.  adv.  Praxeam.  p.  320.  a.  Par.  1580.  See  also  Lombardus,  Lib.  i. 
Distinc.  42  and  43.] 

P  It  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the 
world  to  come.    Matt.  xii.  32.] 

\y  The  death  of  Christ  was  not  of  necessity,  but  of  his  own  will  and 
power.  These  do  not  appear  to  be  Augustine's  words,  but  they  con- 
vey his  sentiments  as  expressed  in  his  13th  chapter.  August.  Op. 
Basilis,  1543.  Vol.  iii.  De  Trin.  Lib.  iv.  co.  503.] 


BISHOP   01'   WINCHESTER'S  BOOK. 


169 


way,  not  only  to  bring  a  man  out  of  the  favour  of  God,  but 
also  out  of  his  wit ;  for  he  that  searcheth  to  know  above 
the  reach  of  a  mortal  man,  shall  be  confounded  with  [the] 
immortal  glory  of  God.  Let  no  christian  heart  therefore 
trouble  itself  with  this  question.  What  God  can  do ;  but  like 
a  diligent  scholar  learn  his  lesson  in  the  scripture,  What 
he  is  bound  to  do.  For  the  scripture  was  wroten  to  lead 
us  unto  God,  and  unto  repentance  of  ill.  It  was  wroten 
to  teach  us  God  and  all  godliness,  and  not  to  move  such 
questions  as  engendereth  nor  faith  nor  virtue,  but  conten- 
tion and  discord,  and  words  without  end.  It  was  wroten 
to  be  judge  of  all  men's  doctrine,  and  to  save  those  that 
Christ  redeemed  with  his  precious  blood  from  all  heresies 
and  false  opinions.  Therein  is  contained  all  truth  and 
verity.  And  better  was  it  with  the  church  of  God,  when 
it  was  only  taught  and  instructed  by  it,  than  after  that 
any  man's  decrees  were  brought  into  the  church.  Man's 
wisdom  giveth  as  much  light  unto  the  word  of  God,  as  a 
little  candle  giveth  unto  the  bright  sun  in  the  mid-day. 

Yet  condemn  I  not  the  holy  fathers,  that  hath  wrote  so 
much  in  the  defence  of  Christ's  religion ;  but  give  God 
thanks,  that  he  hath  such  organs  upon  the  earth,  that  would 
rather  die,  than  to  see  the  name  of  God  and  his  holy 
word  to  be  contemned  of  the  world.  And  a  notable  thing 
is  it  to  mark  the  godly  fathers  in  their  works,  where  as 
in  the  defence  of  the  truth  they  allege  not  only  the  scrip- 
ture, but  also  the  testimony  and  example  of  the  primitive 
church ;  not  to  stablish  their  faith,  because  it  was  so  used 
of  antiquity,  but  because  they  saw  their  elders  use  the  word 
of  God  in  the  same  senses  that  they  did:  as  Epiphanius^ 
writeth  of  one  Peter,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  whom  the  tyrant 
Maximinus  put  to  death.  In  this  Peter's  time  there  was 
one  Meletius®  that  sowed  a  false  doctrine,  and  said  that 
every  sin  committed  was  irremissible,  as  the  Novatians^ 
and  Catharenes  say :  this  doctrine  sq  prevailed,  that  the 
greater  part  of  the  people  in  Egypt  and  Syria  believed  it. 

[■■^  Epiphanii  Opera,  Coloniae,  1682.  Lib.  ii.  Tom.  ii.  cap.  68.  p.  719.] 
P  Meletius  or  Melitius,  bishop  of  Lycopolis,  in  Egypt,  in,  the  4th 
century.    Hooper  adopts  Epiphanius'  account  (see  above),  which  differs 
greatly  from  that  of  Athanasius,  and  Socrates,  and  Theodoret.] 
[7  Euseb.  Eccles.  Hist.  Lib.  vi.  cap.  43,  p.  241,  &c.] 


170 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Peter  resisted,  not  only  by  the  scripture,  but  also,  that  the 
disciples  of  the  apostles  condemned  this  doctrine  for  an 
heresy.  The  like  may  ye  read  in  the  history  of  John  the 
Apostle,  apud  Euseb.  Lib.  iii.  p.  60^ 

As  Christ  is  true,  and  his  word  true,  so  hath  there 
been  always  in  the  church  such  as  hath  followed  the  truth ; 
and  in  that  they  have  wroten  truly  we  are  greatly  edified, 
to  see  that  they  and  we  agree  in  one  faith,  and  understand 
the  scripture  alike,  and  use  the  sacraments  as  they  did 
according  to  [the]  institution  of  Christ.  If  any  error  be 
in  their  writings,  we  may  leave  it  by  the  authority  of  the 
scripture,  and  offend  nothing  at  all.  They  wrote,  not  to  be 
judges  of  the  scripture,  but  to  be  judged  by  the  scripture. 

Were  it  not  to  satisfy  the  weak  conscience  of  those  that 
yet  be  ignorant  of  the  truth,  I  would  not,  in  this  matter  of 
the  sacrament,  rehearse  the  mind  of  one  doctor,  because  we 
may  so  fully  and  plainly  know  by  the  only  scripture,  what 
the  supper  is,  and  how  it  should  be  used;  and  think  that 
such  as  hath  wroten  of  late  days  to  be  the  first  authors 
of  this  doctrine,  that  the  holy  supper  of  the  Lord  should 
be  a  communion,  and  no  private  mass,  or  receiving  of  the 
sacrament  by  one  man ;  no,  though  danger  of  death  seem 
to  require  the  same.  If  such  as  be  sick  will  needs  re- 
ceive the  sacrament,  let  them  receive  it  as  Christ  hath 
instituted  it,  with  such  other  as  shall  be  present  at  the 
declaration  of  his  faith ;  but  alone  no  man  may  receive  it, 
though  his  faith  be  never  so  good,  and  the  minister  never 
so  godly.  Howbeit,  both  the  scripture  and  likewise  the  law 
civil  doth  rather  improve  the  act,  than  allow  the  doing  of 
it.  In  this  supper  we  should  follow  Christ  and  the  apostles : 
their  doings  was  absolute  and  perfects  No  man  for  a 
good  intention,  beside  the  word  of  God,  should  add  any 
thing  to  the  doing  of  this  supper,  or  take  any  thing  from 
it.  We  read  not  that  they  celebrated  the  supper  in  any 
private  house  for  any  sick  person.    The  words  of  James 

[}  Euseb.  Eccles.  Hist.  Moguntia,  1672,  Lib.  III.  cap.  23.  Narratio 
de  Joanne  Apost.  p.  91.    This  reference  is  to  the  well  known  history  of 
St  John  pursuing  and  reclaiming  a  young  Christian,  who  had  fallen  into 
gross  sin,  and  become  leader  of  a  band  of  robbers.] 
Improve :  disapprove  of.] 

P  Perfeythj  in  the  original.] 


BISHOP  OP  \VINCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


17J 


seem  to  defend  this  religion,  chap.  v.  Injirmatur  aliquis  James  v. 
inter  vos?  accersat  preshyteros  ecclesice,  et  ormt  sivpereum^,  &c. 
Unto  these  sick  people  that  he  speaketh  of,  he  would  like- 
wise have  commanded  the  bread  of  the  holy  supper  to  have 
been  brought,  had  it  been  the  manner  in  the  apostle's  time. 
St  Paul  with  many  words  declareth  that  this  supper,  when- 
soever it  be  celebrated,  should  be  done  with  solemnity  in 
the  church  :  Cum  comenitis  in  ecclesia,  inquit,  audio  dissidia 
esse^,  &c.  Again :  Igitur,  cum  comenitis  in  eimdem  locum, 
mn  Meet  Dominicam  coenam  edere^  8.  Num  sane  domos  ha- 
hetis  ad  edendwm  et  bibendum'f  4.  Itaque  fratres,  cum  con- 
venitis  ad  edendum,  alius  aliud  expectet ;  quod  si  qui  esurit, 
domi  edat^. 

It  shall  not  be  prejudicial,  nor  nothing  derogate  the 
honour  of  the  blessed  sacrament,  though  it  never  be  cele- 
brated in  a  private  house ;  nor  he  that  abstaineth  from 
the  receiving  of  it  out  of  the  congregation,  nothing  the 
worse  christian  man.  In  time  past  it  was  sufficient  for  the 
people  to  celebrate  openly  this  holy  supper,  and  was  not  used 
to  be  brought  unto  the  sick.  Justinianus  Imperator,  Consti- 
tu.  57^  unto  the  archbishop  of  Constantinople,  Meme^",  hath 
these  words :  Etiam  [£Jt]  priscis  sancitum  est  legitur  [legibus] 
nulli  penitus  esse  licentiam  domi  quce  sacratissima  sunt  agere, 
sed  puhlice^^,  &c.  And  in  the  same  place :  Omnibus  [enim] 
interdicimus  magnce  hujus  civitatis  hahitatorihus,  magis  autem 
totius  nostrcB  ditionis,  in  domiius  suis  habere  quasdam  quasi 
orationum  domus,  et  in  Ms  sacra  celebrare  mysteria,  et  hinc 

\^  Is  any  sick  among  you?    Let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the 
church;  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  &c.] 

p  When  ye  come  together  in  the  church  (saith  he),  I  hear  that  there 
be  divisions,  &c.    1  Cor.  xi.  18.] 

\y  When  ye  come  together,  therefore,  into  one  place,  ye  cannot  eat 
the  Lord's  supper.    1  Cor.  xi.  20.    Marginal  reading.] 

U  Have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  to  drink  in  ?    1  Cor.  xi.  22.] 

Wherefore,  my  brethren,  when  ye  come  together  to  eat,  tarry  one 
for  another ;  and  if  any  man  hunger,  let  him  eat  at  home.  1  Cor.  xi. 
33,  34.] 

C  Novellarum  Constit.  Justin.  Paris.  1562,  foHo  114.  (2).] 
[1"  Menna.] 

It  was  also  ordained  by  ancient  laws  that  no  one  should  be  at 
liberty  to  perform  the  most  sacred  rites  in  their  own  houses,  but  pub- 
licly, &c.] 


172 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


fieri  qucedam  exfranea,  cathoUcm  et  apostolicce  traditioni  con- 
traria.  Sed  siquidem  domos  [itd]  simpliciter  aliqui  habere 
pwtant  oportere,  in  sacris  suis,  orationis  solius  videlicet  ffratia, 
et  nullo  celebrando  penitus  horwm  quae  sacri  sunt  mysterii^  id 
eis  permittimus^  This  godly  emperor  reigned  anno  Domini 
500,  whereby  it  appeareth  it  was  not  the  manner  of  those 
days  to  celebrate  the  supper  nowhere  but  in  the  congrega- 
tion openly,  as  the  pesah^  was  commanded  to  be  done :  never 
part  of  the  Iamb  brought  unto  the  sick  man,  but  eaten 

I  ^jj.    in  their  congregations,  as  ye  read,  Exod.  xii.  Num.  ix. 

b.  IX.  Whereas,  Eusebius,  Lib.  vi.  cap.  84,  Eccles.  Hist.^  writeth  of 
one  or  two  to  whom  the  bread  was  ministered  in  their 
private  houses,  it  was  done  upon  a  singular  consideration. 
The  persons  that  received  this  sacrament  in  their  private 
houses  were  before  excommunicated  by  the  authority  of 
God's  word,  and  before  their  reconciliation  fell  into  this 
danger  of  death  by  sickness.  The  deacon  was  commanded 
to  minister  the  bread  unto  them,  that  in  the  receiving 
thereof  they  might  declare  their  true  penitence  unto  the 
church,  and  die  in  the  promises  of  God,  that  desireth  not 
the  death  of  sinners.  In  the  time  of  Cyprian,  it  was 
used  to  give  the  bread  of  the  supper  unto  children*.  If 

For  we  forbid  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  great  city,  or  rather  of 
our  whole  empire,  to  have  in  their  own  houses  certain  kinds  of  oratories, 
in  which  to  celebrate  sacred  mysteries  which  might  hence  become  foreign, 
and  opposed  to  the  catholic  and  apostolic  tradition.  But  if,  indeed,  some 
think  that  their  houses  ought  to  have  these  among  their  holy  things, 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  prayer,  and  never  therein  to  celebrate  any 
of  those  things  which  belong  to  the  sacred  mysteries — that  we  allow 
to  them.] 

P  Pesah :  The  Passover.] 

P  Old  edition,  Ecclesiastes.  But  the  reference  appears  to  be  wrong. 
The  case  referred  to  is  probably  that  of  Serapion,  mentioned  by  Euse- 
bius, Lib.  VI.  cap.  44.  Eccles.  Hist.  Moguntise,  1672,  p.  246.] 

Amiserunt  parvuli,  quod  in  primo  statim  nativitatis  exordio  fue- 
rant  consequuti.  Nonne  illi  cum  judicii  dies  venerit,  dicent,  Nos  nihil 
fecimus,  nec  derelicto  cibo  et  poculo  Dei  ad  profana  contagia  sponte 
properavimus ;  perdidit  nos  aUena  perfidia,  parentes  sensimus  parricidas? 
Cypriani  Op.  Lugd.  1650.  Tom.  i.  De  Lapsis,  p.  389. 

Ubi  vero  solennibus  adimpletis  calicem  diaconus  ofFerre  prsesentibus 
coepit,  et  accipientibus  ceteris  locus  ejus  advenit,  faciem  suam  parvula 
instinctu  divinae  majestatis  avertere,  os  labiis  obturantibus  premere, 
calicem  recusare.    Perstitit  tamen  diaconus,  et  reluctanti  licet  de  sacra- 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


173 


it  were  given  them  as  a  sacrament,  it  was  ill ;  but  I  can- 
not believe  it.  Grant  it  were,  I  will  not  follow  Cyprian, 
but  the  institution  of  Christ.  I  know  that  he  was  but 
a  man,  and  had  his  faults,  as  ye  may  see  by  his  opinion, 
where  he  would  such  as  were  christened  of  heretics  to  be 
rebaptized^. 

We  should  not  yet  by  this  authority  leave  the 
example  of  the  apostles,  except  it  be  in  such  places 
where  as  the  common  ministry  of  the  church  is  corrupted, 
and  the  sacrament  used  contrary  unto  the  institution  of 
Christ:  there  every  man  may  in  his  private  chamber, 
with  his  christian  and  faithful  brothers,  communicate  ac- 
cording unto  the  order  of  the  scripture,  as  we  see.  Acts  ii.  Acts  ii.  xx. 
XX.,  how  the  apostles  did  when  the  Pharisees  and  priests  of 
the  temple  contemned  Christ  and  his  ministry,  as  well  of 
the  sacraments  as  of  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Where  as 
the  faithful  may  receive  openly  the  sacrament,  it  sufficeth 
them ;  it  is  not  need  to  have  it  brought  unto  the  sick  man's 
bed :  for  the  doing  thereof  hath  done  hurt  in  the  church 
of  God,  caused  many  times  the  poor  sick  man  to  put  his 
hope  and  confidence  in  the  external  fact  and  receiving  of 
the  sacrament,  and  thought  himself  never  sufiiciently  pre- 
pared to  death,  but  when  he  had  received  this  external 
sign.    And  thus  was  the  abuse  of  the  blessed  sacrament. 

Men  say  it  is  neither  commanded  neither  forbidden  by 
the  scripture,  that  the  sick  should  use  the  sacrament  in 
their  private  houses.  The  words  of  Paul,  Ego  accept  a 
Domino'^,  &c.,  with  the  texts  afore  rehearsed,  sheweth  not 
only  how  the  supper  should  be  celebrated,  but  also  where 
it  should  be  celebrated.  Sufficiat  nohis  traditio  apostolica' 
Let  us  conform  ourselves  unto  them,  as  near  as  we  may. 
Would  to  the  Lord  that  there  were  no  more  ceremonies 

mento  calicis  infudit.  Tunc  sequitur  singultus  et  vomitus,  &c.  &c- 
Hoc  circa  infantem,  quae  ad  eloquendum  alienum  circa  se  crimen  necduro 
habuit  setatem.  Idem,  p.  400.  See  also  Aug.  Op.  Basiliaej  1542,  Tom.  ii. 
Ep.  ad  Bonifac.  23,  col.  90,  where  in  the  margin  we  find,  Etiam  infan- 
tibus  dabatur  Eucharistia.] 

P  Cypriani  Op.  Ep.  6.  ad  Magnum,  (in  qua  ostendit  nisi  quis  in 
ecclesia  et  ab  ecclesia  catholica  ordinatus  fuerit,  jus  vitalis  aquae  habere 
non  posse.)  Tom.  i.  p.  73,  &c.] 

P  I  have  received  of  the  Lord,  &c.    1  Cor.  xi.  23.] 

\]  Let  apostolical  tradition  suffice  us.] 


174 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


in  the  doing  of  this  sacrament,  or  any  other  in  the  church, 
than  the  scripture  maketh  mention  of.  Then,  blessed  and 
fortunate  were  the  poor  ignorant  people,  that  now  bite 
and  gnaw  the  bitter  bark,  and  never  taste  the  sweetness 
contained  within  these  external  signs :  and  no  marvel.  Their 
curates  be  as  wise  as  they.  The  blind  leadeth  the  blind 
into  ignorancy.  Such  godly  preachers  hath  their  mother, 
the  holy  church,  appointed  to  have  the  charge  of  those 
souls  that  Christ  redeemed  with  his  precious  blood.  Parson 
and  vicar,  patron  and  bishop,  shall  bewail,  doubtless,  this 
horrible  sin,  to  deceive  the  people  of  Grod  of  his  most  holy 
word. 

Were  the  givers  of  benefices  so  good  unto  their 
tenants,  or  poor  people  of  the  parishes,  as  they  be  unto 
their  dogs  and  horses,  it  were  well :  for  no  man  giveth 
his  dog  to  keep,  but  unto  him  that  hath  skill  how  to  diet 
him,  and  to  keep  him  in  breath,  to  maintain  his  course, 
to  save  him.  He  wax  not  mange  his  horse  unto  him  that 
best  can  skill  to  handle  him\  as  well  in  the  stable  as  in 
the  field.  Every  thing  in  the  world  is  better  provided 
for  than  the  soul  of  man.  Good  mariners  for  the  ship, 
politic  men  for  the  commonwealth,  an  expert  physician  for 
the  body,  a  pleasant  cook  for  the  mouth,  a  well-practised 
captain  for  the  war.  None  in  any  affairs  concerning  the 
body  shall  be  admitted  unto  any  office,  but  apt  and  con- 
venient persons,  the  best  that  may  be  got.  In  the  church 
of  Christ  it  is  no  matter  passed  of  who  bear  office,  though 
he  know  no  more  what  appertaineth  to  the  charge  that  is 
committed  unto  him,  than  the  least  of  his  parish.  They 
take  great  pain  to  visit  the  sick,  and  to  minister  the  sacra- 
ments :  it  were  better  they  never  came  anear  the  sick  with 
the  sacrament,  except  they  knew  better  what  a  sacrament 
meant,  and  could  shew  them  God's  promises,  which  are 
not  only  sealed,  but  also  openly  declared  unto  the  church 
by  the  sacraments. 

And  to  make  more  open  that  the  mass  is  no  ceremony, 
nor  the  bread  there  used  no  sacrament,  of  God's,  I  will 
declare  it  unto  the  christian  reader  by  the  scripture,  that 
teacheth  us  what  the  sacrament  is,  and  how  it  must  be 

[}  To  saue  hym  he  wax  not  mange  his  horse  unto  hym  that  best  can 
skyle  to  hand  ill  him,  in  the  original.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


175 


used;  that  the  christian  reader,  by  reason  of  the  abuse, 
contemn  not  the  thing  itself.  Though  the  abuse  of  sacra- 
ments is  condemned,  yet  must  we  not  contemn  the  sacra- 
ment. Though  the  abuse  of  prayer  be  naught,  yet  prayer 
as  God  commandeth  is  good.  Though  wine  maketh  men 
drunk,  yet  no  man  saith  wine  is  naught.  Remove,  then, 
the  abuse  of  every  thing  that  is  good,  and  let  the  thing 
remain  still. 

This  is  the  definition  of  the  Lord's  supper.  It  is  a 
ceremony  instituted  by  Christ,  to  confirm  and  manifest  our 
society  and  communion  in  his  body  and  blood,  until  he 
come  to  judgment.  Every  word  in  this  definition  is  in  the 
scripture.  That  it  is  a  ceremony  instituted  by  Christ,  Mat- 
thew, Mark,  Luke,  and  Paul  testifieth  :  that  it  confirmeth 
the  conjunction  and  society  of  Christ  and  his  church,  these 
words  of  Paul  proveth :  Qmniam  wnus  panis,  wnum  corpus 
multi  sunrns.  Nam  omnes  ex  eodem  pane  participamus'^. 
1  Cor.  X.  And  that  it  shall  be  done  till  the  end  of  the  i  cor.  x. 
world,  Paul  proveth,  1  Cor.  xi.  Mortem  Domini  annumciabitis  \  cor.  xi. 
donee  venerit^. 

Now,  the  manner  how  it  was  instituted,  and  how  it  must 
be  used  in  the  church,  it  is  wroten  by  Matthew,  Mark, 
Luke,  and  Paul,  in  the  places  afore  rehearsed.  And  Paul, 
by  name,  saith,  Convenientihus  volis,  &c*.  would  the  supper 
of  the  Lord  to  be  a  ceremony  of  a  public  and  common 
assemblance,  and  would  in  this  assemblance  the  gospel  to 
be  preached,  God  to  be  called  upon  in  the  remembrance 
and  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  giving  God  thanks  that 
he  would  save  us  by  the  death  of  his  Son.  Therefore 
it  is  said.  Hoc  facite  ad  recordationem  mei :  "  Do  it  in  the 
remembrance  of  me."  What  the  supper  is,  and  how  it 
was  instituted,  we  see  by  the  scripture. 

Now,  of  the  other  part,  behold  the  mass,  and  bring  it  to 
the  gospel ;  then  shall  thou  perceive  it  is  no  common  cere- 
mony instituted  by  Christ  and  his  apostles ;  neither  nothing 
done  therein  according  to  the  scripture,  but  every  thing  con- 
trary unto  the  scripture.    Whereas  Paul  calleth  it  a  com- 

For  we  being  many  are  one  bread  and  one  body,  for  we  are  all 
partakers  of  that  one  bread.] 

Ye  do  shew  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come.] 
[*  When  ye  come  together,  &c.    1  Cor.  xi.  18.] 


176 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


munion,  and  would  all  the  church  to  receive  it  under  both 
kinds ;  they  say  it  is  best  to  be  a  private  mass,  and  eaten  by 
one  priest.  Paul  willeth  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  be  preached 
unto  the  congregation :  they  mumble  and  dream  a  sort  of 
collects,  and  other  beggary  unto  dead  saints,  as  neither 
profiteth  themselves  nor  other,  but  blasphemeth  God's  holy 
name.  Yet,  say  they,  it  is  a  godly  thing;  whereas  God, 
neither  the  scripture,  never  meant  such  idolatry.  It  is 
a  ceremony  instituted  by  more  bishops  than  twenty,  to  the 
great  injury  of  God's  word,  and  the  authors  thereof  damned 
eternally,  except  they  repented  before  they  departed  out  of 
this  world.  For  they  no  less  deceived  the  people  of  God, 
than  the  devil  in  paradise :  he  was  not  content  to  suffer 
God's  commandment  as  it  was  given,  without  a  false  gloss. 
Nor  these  members  of  the  devil  would  not  Christ's  church  to 
use  Christ's  holy  supper,  as  it  was  given  by  Christ,  without 
their  devilish  and  detestable  additions.  Yet,  wicked  members 
of  antichrist,  they  must  be  called  the  holy  church,  though  all 
that  ever  they  intend  is  the  pest  and  destruction  of  the 
church,  and  their  religion  as  contrary  to  Christ  as  darkness 
is  to  light,  and  say,  if  there  were  not  such  ceremonies  added 
unto  the  Lord's  supper,  as  they  have  in  the  mass,  people 
should  be  provoked  to  no  devotion,  nor  could  not  religiously 
honour  that  most  holy  sacrament ;  therefore,  say  they,  is  all 
these  ceremonies  added.  A  profound  reason,  doubtless,  as 
meet  for  the  matter  as  can  be,  and  as  far-fet^  as  he  that  never 
wist  what  a  ceremony  of  Christ's  testament  is,  but  as  one 
that  never  sucked  other  milk  than  of  a  cow  that  hath  calved 
full  many  a  thousand  bulls  of  lead. 

Therefore  I  will  set  before  the  eyes  of  the  christian 
reader  the  ceremonies  of  this  holy  supper,  contained  in 
the  scripture,  and  the  signification  of  the  ceremony,  not 
feigned  of  my  brain,  but  by  the  express  words  of  the  scrip- 
ture ;  and  so  teach  the  Christian  to  love  the  ceremonies 
there  expressed,  and  to  detest  the  blind  ceremonies  of 
men.  Christ,  the  same  night  that  he  was  betrayed  unto 
the  Jews,  sat  at  supper  with  his  twelve  apostles,  and,  among 
other  godly  talk,  in  his  sermon  unto  them  he  said,  that 
Matt.  xxvi.  one  of  them  should  betray  him :  Matth.  xxvi.  Mark  xiv. 
ar  i  XIV.    (-ijjj,jgj.^  ^Y^^^  knew  the  hearts  of  all  men,  saw  the  treason  that 

[1  Far-fet :  far-fetched.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


177 


J udas  had  wrought  against  him,  and  knew  that  he  was  at  a 
full  point  with  the  Jews  to  deliver  him  unto  them ;  the  mat- 
ter was  fully  concluded  upon,  and  money  received.  This 
wicked  man  was  not  yet  so  far  past,  but  there  remained 
place  of  indulgence  and  forgiveness;  or  else  Christ  would 
never  have  admonished  him  so  many  times.  Because  God 
hateth  sin,  he  admonished  Judas  in  time  to  repent.  But,  as 
a  wicked  person,  he  contemned  all  admonitions,  desired  to 
finish  his  traitorous  purpose,  and  after  that  he  had  eaten  of 
that  holy  supper,  he  departed  out  of  Christ's  company,  and 
with  all  diligence  sought  how  to  have  his  admonitor  slain. 
John,  xiii.  xiv,  declareth  more  at  large  Christ's  words  and  Jphn  xiii. 
facts  at  this  supper.  But  these  words  of  Matthew  and 
Mark  shall  admonish  the  christian  reader,  what  ceremony 
ought  to  be  used  in  the  church  before  the  use  of  the  sacra- 
ment, what  the  minister  should  do,  and  what  the  rest  of  the 
people  should  do. 

The  minister's  office  is  to  make  a  solemn  sermon,  to 
admonish  every  man  of  his  duty  and  ofiice  towards  God,  and 
to  exhort  all  men  unto  godly  and  unfeigned  repentance. 
The  people's  duty  is  every  one  to  prove  and  examine 
his  conscience  and  ^ith,'  and  so  to  eat  of  the  bread  and 
to  drink  of  the  wine,  as  Paul  teacheth,  1  Cor.  xi. :  and  i  cor.  xi. 
so  to  mark  the  word  of  God  preached  against  sin,  as  though 
God  himself  spake  it ;  and  remember  that  when  Christ  said 
unto  the  apostles,  that  one  of  them  should  betray  him,  all 
were  amazed  at  the  words,  and  with  sorrowful  countenance 
the  one  beheld  the  other,  with  great  fear  who  it  should  be. 
They  heard  a  wonderful  sin  named :  every  one  examined 
his  own  conscience,  whether  it  were  capable  of  any  such  sin 
or  not,  and  with  fear  demanded  who  it  should  be. 

This  act  of  the  apostles  declares  what  every  man's  ofiice 
is  that  Cometh  to  the  sermon,  where  by  the  word  of  God 
sin  is  accused,  to  examine  his  own  conscience,  and  see  that  no 
such  sin  be  in  him  that  God  condemneth  by  his  word  :  if  he 
be  culpable,  to  repent  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  and 
desire  forgiveness.  But  now-a-days,  when  sin  is  rebuked, 
few  men  entereth  into  their  own  conscience,  but  rather  into 
other  men's ;  supposeth  that  the  word  of  God  rebuketh  the 
sin  of  others,  and  not  his  ;  or  else  he  judgeth  himself  to  be  no 
sinner,  whereas  every  man  hath  abundance  and  too  many,  if 

12 

[hooper.] 


178 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


he  knew  himself  well,  and  such  horrible  faults  as  deserve 
eternal  death.  A  good  conscience  will  be  soon  pricked  at 
the  name  of  sin,  and  be  ashamed  that  he  hath  offended  so 
mighty  a  Lord,  and  afraid  also  of  his  judgments,  and  dili- 
gently amend  his  life.  The  conscience  destitute  of  God's 
fear  passeth  not  a  deal  of  the  word,  is  moved  neither  with 
fear  nor  with  love,  but  contemneth  both  God  and  his  word, 
as  we  may  see  by  Judas,  not  only  this  sin  of  obstinacy  and 
contempt  of  God's  admonitions  unto  penitence,  but  also  very 
hypocrisy,  as  reigneth  now-a-days  all  over  the  world.  Men 
associate  themselves  into  the  company  of  such  as  fear  God, 
come  unto  the  sermons  to  hear  God's  words,  and  be  nothing 
the  better;  they  amend  their  life  nothing  at  all.  They  say  it 
was  a  good  sermon  ;  the  man  spake  well ;  but  what  availeth 
it  that  he  spake  well,  and  the  hearer  to  live  ill  2  What  am  [I] 
the  better,  that  God  and  his  word  be  holy,  or  another  man 
virtuous,  except  I  transform  mine  ill  life  unto  the  command- 
ment of  God,  and  live  honestly?  Nothing  at  all.  The  joys  of 
Abraam,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  heaven  appertaineth  not  to 
such  as  know  only  the  faith  of  them,  but  unto  such  as  obey 
the  commandment  of  God,  as  they  did.  Man  must  give 
place  to  the  word  of  God,  when  it  is  told  him,  and  refrain 
from  all  things  repugnant  unto  the  word,  to  promote  the 
word,  that  God's  kingdom  may  reign  upon  the  earth.  Who- 
soever preacheth  it,  heareth  it  preached,  or  permitteth  it  to 
be  preached,  except  he  follow  it,  nothing  availeth  him.  Those 
the  scripture  declareth  to  be  blessed  that  work  the  word, 
and  have  their  meditations  in  the  law  of  God.  The  sermon 
must  not  be  heard  only  for  to  know  God,  but  also  to  follow 
God  in  his  commandments  :  Beati  immaculati  in  ma,  qui  am- 

Psai.  cxix.  hulant  in  lege  Domini^,  Psalm  cxix.    Meatus,  qui  in  lege  ejus 

Psai.  i.      meditatur  die  ac  nocte  \    Psalm  i. 

Thus  with  an  holy  sermon  Christ  prepared  the  hearts  of 
his  disciples  unto  the  holy  supper,  and  not  with  saying  of 
mass.  He  exhorted  them  to  patience,  and  to  contemn  the 
world;  the  one  to  love  the  other,  and  the  one  to  bear  charitably 
the  infirmities  of  the  other.   Read'  the. comfortable  sermon  of 

\}  Blessed  are  the  undefiled  in  the  way,  -who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord.  J 
P  Blessed  is  the  man  that... in  his  law  doth  meditate  day  and  night.] 
—  thone  to  bare  cheritable  thinfirmites  of  thoter,  rede,  &c.,  in  the 
original.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


179 


Christ,  from  the  thirteenth  of  John  to  the  seventeenth  ;  and 
then  I  make  thy  conscience,  good  christian  reader,  judge,  which 
is  the  best  ways  to  prepare  the  wretched  and  sinful  man  unto 
the  supper  of  the  Lord,  and  which  of  both  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred, a  sermon,  as  Christ  used  and  his  apostles,  or  those 
vile  ceremonies  that  the  bishops  hath  brought  into  the  church. 
Every  man  beareth  another  in  hand  that  he  loveth  Christ,  and 
doth  acknowledge  him  to  be  wiser  than  man.  It  appeareth  not ; 
for  if  they  believed  as  they  say,  they  would  not  leave  his  holy 
testament,  sealed  with  his  precious  blood,  and  follow  the 
superstition  and  idolatry  that  the  testament  condemneth. 
This  holy  sermon  should  prepare  the  hearts  of  such  as 
purposed  to  communicate  with  the  precious  body  and  blood 
of  Christ,  lest  they  received  this  holy  sacrament  unwor- 
thily, to  say,  without  penitence  and  the  fear  of  God.  For 
although  sin  of  his  own  nature  be  detestable  and  con- 
demned by  God,  they  that  without  repentance  receiveth  this 
sacrament  aggravate  and  double  their  sin,  because  with- 
out condign  honour  and  reverence  [they]  contemptuously 
receive  the  body  of  Christ. 

After  this  preparation  unto  the  sacrament,  consider  the 
ceremony  itself,  without  all  men's  additions,  only  pre- 
scribed in  the  word  of  God;  and  thou  shalt  perceive  the 
action  and  doing  of  the  supper  preach  unto  thy  senses 
faith  and  penitence.  Christ  took  bread,  gave  thanks 
unto  God,  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  saying, 
"  Take  ye,  eat  ye,  this  is  my  body  that  is  given  for  you." 
Matt,  xxvi.,  Luke  xxii.,  Mark  xiv.,  1  Cor.  xi.  The  ears  of  Matt.  xxvi. 
the  Christian  heareth  that  the  body  of  Christ  was  given,  MlrkSv.' 
and  his  blood  shed,  for  his  sins.  These  words,  and  the  break-  ^ 
ing  of  the  bread  between  him  and  his  christian  brother, 
doth  certify  him  that  the  ire  of  God  was  great  against 
sin,  that  would  not  otherwise  be  satisfied  than  by  the  death 
of  Christ,  his  only  Son.  No  godly  heart  can  judge  sin  to 
be  light  ill,  that  was  purchased  with  so  marvellous  a  death 
and  inestimable  price.  The  calamities  of  man  be  great 
and  his  miseries  wonderful,  as  we  daily  see :  sickness, 
poverty,  exile,  banishment,  war,  not  only  in  the  field  with 
our  enemies,  but  also  at  home  with  all  virtue  and  honesty, 
discord,  debate,  contention  and  strife,  between  them  that 
should  be  in  most  peace  and  concord ;  yea,  daily  war  in 

]  2  2 


180 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


every  man''s  conscience  between  vice  and  virtue,  loss  of 
goods  and  loss  of  friends,  the  greatest  loss  of  all  losses, 
to  be  robbed  of  the  true  word  of  God.  All  these  be 
sacraments  and  signs  of  God's  displeasure  and  ire  against 
sin ;  and  we  are  troubled  and  afflicted  with  these  miseries 
to  admonish  us  of  God's  judgment  and  anger  for  sin. 

But  the  testimony  of  all  testimonies  of  this  great  and 
unspeakable  ire  is  the  Son  of  God  sweating  tears  of  blood, 
contending  with  the  justice  of  God,  and  fighting  against  the 
devil  and  sin,  only  got  the  victory  by  death.  He  that  is 
not  moved  nor  feared  with  these  thoughts  of  God's  ire  and 
the  death  of  Christ,  in  eating  and  receiving  the  sacrament, 
understandeth  not  what  the  sacrament  meaneth.  Now,  ex- 
cept Christ  should  come  down  from  heaven  and  die  again 
before  our  faces,  his  death  cannot  be  more  lively  expressed 
than  it  is  in  the  scripture.  He  knew  what  ways  it  might 
best  be  kept  in  remembrance,  that  suffered  the  death  in 
his  own  body,  and  shewed  the  manner  of  this  ceremony 
himself,  and  bid  them  do  the  same  in  the  memory  of  him. 
Christ  preached  a  sermon,  brake  the  bread,  and  delivered 
Matt.  xxvi.  the  cup  uuto  the  whole  conaregation.  Matt.  xxvi.  Mark  xiv. 

Mark  xiv.  . .  o    o  ' 

Luke  xxii'.  Luke  xxii. ;  so  did  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.,  and  then  gave  thanks 
1  Cor!  xvi.  unto  God  and  aided  the  poor,  1  Cor.  xvi.  And  this  was 
the  memory  of  Christ's  death;  and  unto  this  whole  action 
and  ceremony  of  the  supper  must  these  words  be  referred, 
Hwc  quotiescunque  feceritis,  in  mei  m&moriam  facietis-^  and 
not  to  the  lifting  up  of  the  chalice  over  the  priest's  head, 
as  it  is  used  in  the  mass.  Christ  commanded  this  cere- 
mony, to  break  the  bread  among  the  whole  congregation, 
that  by  the  doing  thereof  they  might  return  unto  true 
repentance,  and  think,  when  they  break  the  bread  and  drink 
of  that  holy  drink,  that  as  they  break  the  bread  and  drink 
of  the  cup,  so  it  was  their  sin  and  their  fathers'  that 
caused  Christ  to  die. 

This  ceremony  is  godly,  and  thus  doth  the  scripture 
permit  to  interpretate  the  doing  of  the  supper,  and  not 
to  break  the  bread  secretly,  with  Per  emdem  Domintm 
nostrum  Christum  Filiwm  tuum^,  S^c.  as  they  do  in  the 
mass.     What  need  hath  the   priest  to  break  his  cake 

P  This  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  do  it,  in  remembrance  of  me.] 
["  Through  the  same  thy  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  &c.] 


BISHOP  OF   \VINCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


181 


at  all,  if  he  mind  not  to  depart^  of  it  to  his  neigh- 
bour? He  might  eat  it  whole  as  well.  It  is  but  an  apish 
counterfeiting  of  Christ  to  make  good  the  thing  that  is 
naught,  because  Christ  and  Paul  divided  the  bread  unto 
the  whole  church  as  a  communion.  They  will  divide  it 
in  their  private  masses.  Though  it  be  ill  done,  yet  hath 
it  a  certain  shew  unto  the  unlearned  of  virtue.  Is  not 
Christ  well  followed,  good  christian  reader,  of  these  men'? 
Yes,  hardly !  Their  mass  and  breaking  of  bread  as  like 
unto  the  blessed  communion  of  Christ's  body  and  pre- 
cious blood,  as  vice  is  unto  virtue,  and  false  superstition 
unto  true  religion.  The  mass  is  no  ceremony  of  Christ's 
supper,  but  a  very  profanation  of  Christ's  supper ;  for 
this  is  a  true  and  certain  rule  always  to  be  had  in  re- 
membrance. No  ceremony  hath  the  nature  and  strength 
of  a  sacrament,  when  it  is  not  used  as  the  word  of  God 
teacheth,  but  contrary  unto  the  word  of  God,  and  to 
a,nother  end  than  the  word  of  God  assigneth  it.  The  Jews 
and  the  Turks  doth  use  at  this  day  circumcision,  yet  is 
it  no  sacrament.  This  ceremony  pleaseth  not  God,  but  it 
is  a  wicked  superstition,  damned  by  God,  and  done  con- 
trary unto  the  word  of  God. 

Likewise  the  mass,  where  as  one  receiveth  the  bread 
and  wine,  the  bearing  about  of  the  host  in  procession, 
keeping  of  it  in  the  box,  doubtless  it  is  not  a  sacrament  of 
Christ's  most  holy  body,  but  a  profanation  of  his  holy  supper. 
For  of  Christ's  ceremony  it  was  said,  Accipite  et  man- 
ducate :  "  take  ye,  and  eat  ye."  It  agreeth  nothing  with 
a  sacrament,  that  they  do.  They  have  not  as  much  as  one 
place  of  the  scripture  that  speaketh  of  a  private  mass, 
bearing  it  about  in  procession,  or  keeping  it  in  the  box. 

Beside  that,  they  apply  it  to  another  end  than  it  was 
instituted  for,  and  make  it  of  no  less  value  than  the  death 
of  Christ,  who  once  for  all  sacrificed  himself  for  sin  upon  the 
cross.  Heb.  ix.  x.  They  cannot  tell  what  this  word  "  offer"  Heb.  x.  ix. 
meaneth,  when  they  say  they  offer  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  a 
great  matter  to  offer  him.  It  is  to  acknowledge  the  ire  of 
God  against  the  sin  of  the  world,  and  to  submit  himself  unto 
this  ire,  and  to  be  a  Mediator  between  God  and  mankind : 
and  likewise  he  must  enter  the  Holy  of  Holies''  unto  God. 
P  Depart :  part,  impart.]  Holy  of  holynis,  in  the  original.] 


182 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


Heb.ix.  Therefore  it  is  said,  Heb.  ix.  Per  propriwm  sanguinem 
intramt  semel  in  sancta  sanctorum,  ceternam  redemptionem  in- 
veniens^.  Also,  Qui  Spiritu  wterm  seipsum  obtulit  incul- 
patum  Beo^.  It  is  an  horrible  heresy  to  say  that  Christ 
is  offered  in  the  mass  for  sin.  Christ  once  offered  himself. 
It  is  our  office  to  confess  and  acknowledge  that  only  ob- 
lation once  offered,  and  to  believe  that  by  the  virtue  of 
it  God  is  pleased  only,  and  all  our  life  give  thanks  to  God 
for  it. 

Let  the  godly  people  consider  these  things,  and  con- 
form themselves  unto  the  example  of  the  primitive  church, 
and  let  the  new  massings  go.  I  know  that  many  men 
gathereth  out  of  the  scripture  many  places  to  defend  this 
heresy  of  the  mass ;  but  it  shall  be  the  office  of  every  godly 
man  diligently  to  discern  and  judge  notha  ac  adulterina 
testimonia  a  mris^. 

The  manner  of  the  apostles  concerning  this  holy  supper 
is  best  to  be  observed.  First,  in  the  church  there  should 
be  rehearsed  some  godly  lesson  out  of  the  scripture  in  a 
tongue  known  ;  the  people  instructed  with  an  holy  ser- 
mon, not  out  of  the  festival  nor  legenda  aurea\  but 
out  of  the  holy  bible.  Then  should  there  be  common 
prayer,  first  for  remission  of  sin,  and  the  mitigation  of  the 
pain  condign  for  the  sin ;  for  although  these  two  concur 
together,  remission  of  sin  and  deliverance  from  eternal 
pain,  yet  doth  God  many  times  punish  the  transgressors 
with  wonderful  afflictions  in  this  life,  as  it  may  be  seen  by 
David  and  Manasses,  with  other.    And  to  be  short,  what 

[1  By  his  own  blood  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  having 
obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us.] 

[2  Who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God.] 
P  Spurious  and  false  testimonies  from  true.] 

[*  The  Legend  was  a  book  used  in  the  ancient  church,  containing 
the  lessons  to  be  read  in  the  services.  From  this  the  Legmda  Aurea 
took  its  name ;  chapters  out  of  that  book,  containing  absurd  histories 
and  lives  of  saints  and  martyrs,  being  read  in  the  Romish  church  at 
matins,  and  at  the  refertories  of  religious  houses.  The  Festival  was 
a  compilation  from  the  Legenda  Aurea,  also  used  in  the  churches  by 
the  Romish  priests.  Strype,  in  his  Mem.  Vol.  I,  chap.  18,  folio  138, 
gives  "a  taste  after  what  manner  the  curates  used  to  entertain  their 
audience  with  the  contents  of  this  book."  The  use  of  the  Festival  was 
not  altogether  discontinued  till  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Vlth.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


183 


trouble  or  adversity  soever  we  see  in  this  world,  they  be 
sacraments  and  signs  that  God  is  displeased  with  our  sins. 

Howbeit,  the  priest  or  minister  hath  no  power  to  bind 
man  to  do  this  or  that,  to  say  this  prayer  or  that  prayer. 
His  office  is  only  to  shew  by  the  word  of  God  God's  justice 
against  sin,  and  God's  mercy  in  Christ  to  such  as  repent,  and 
commit  the  rest  to  God,  who  sometime  punisheth  in  this 
world,  and  sometime  punisheth  not.  It  is  yet  the  custom  of 
the  old  church  to  excommunicate  such  as  were  common  adul- 
terers, covetous  persons,  1  Cor.  v.,  idolaters,  blasphemers,  i  Cor.  v. 
slanderers,  drunkards,  and  extortioners,  and  such  as  for  fear 
denied  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  except  they  did  open  penitence, 
which  was  a  commendable  use  and  godly  act,  done  to  give 
other  men  fear,  lest  they  should  commit  like  offence.  Also  it 
was  a  good  exploration  of  the  transgressor's  conscience,  whe- 
ther his  penitence  were  true  or  feigned. 

But  ye  must  understand,  that  this  act  and  discipline 
of  the  church  is  but  an  act  politic  and  civil  to  such  as 
hath  professed  to  live  in  the  commonwealth  of  Christ's 
church,  in  an  order,  lest  that  the  vicious  life  of  the  person 
should  be  a  slander  unto  the  word  of  God.  This  open 
penance  appertaineth  not  unto  the  conscience  or  remission 
of  sin  before  God,  which  is  done  only  for  the  penance 
of  Christ :  therefore  the  church  must  be  diligently  in- 
structed of  the  doctrine  concerning  remission  of  sin  before 
God.  It  must  know  the  difference  between  the  remission 
of  the  default,  and  the  remission  of  temporal  pain,  in  the 
which  God  would  many  times  his  displeasure  should  be 
known  against  sin  ;  as  in  the  pain  of  David  and  Manas- 
ses.  There  is  no  church  can  be  governed  without  this  disci- 
pline ;  for  where  as  it  is  not,  there  see  we  no  godliness  at 
all,  but  carnal  liberty  and  vicious  life :  as  in  the  common- 
wealth, where  a  thief  is  as  much  esteemed  as  a  true  man, 
a  brawler  and  breaker  of  the  peace  as  an  honest  citizen; 
for  a  conclusion,  where  as  virtue  is  not  commended  and  vice 
punished,  the  commonwealth  shall  soon  come  to  confusion. 
The  ill-doers  were  always  punished  and  banished  the  com- 
pany of  the  good,  not  only  among  christian  princes,  and 
in  the  law  of  God,  1  Cor.  v. ;  but  also  among  the  Greeks  icor.v. 
afid  ethnicks  such  as  committed  murder  and  incest  were 
excommunicated,  and  lost  not  only  their  offices  in  the  com- 


184 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


monwealth,  but  were  put  out  of  the  company  of  all  honest 
men,  and  marked  with  a  sign  in  the  upper  vestment,  that 
all  men  might  know  him  to  be,  as  he  was,  a  man  to  be 
avoided,  and  none  to  eat  nor  drink  with  him  as  long  as  he 
bore  that  sign ;  as  it  is  to  be  seen  by  Orestes,  Peleus,  An- 
tilochus,  and  Adrastus,  that  came  unto  Croesus  with  the 
sign  of  his  transgression.  They  had  also  their  execrations 
and  curses  against  these  malefactors  and  transgressors  of 
honesty,  as  Phoenix  declareth  in  Homero:  Propter  stupra- 
tam  conjugem  patris  contra  se  diras  recitatas  esse^. 

These  things  were  used  of  antiquity,  that  men  should  the 
more  deeply  think  upon  the  greatness  of  God's  displeasure 
and  ire  against  those  that  had  offended,  and  by  that  means  the 
more  to  abhor  from  such  abomination.  The  gentiles,  that 
never  knew  God,  keep  the  religion  of  their  idols,  and  re- 
venged the  transgression  and  violation  thereof  better  than 
the  Christians.  Would  to  God  it  were  more  diligently  looked 
upon,  vice  more  punished,  and  virtue  more  extolled ! 

After  this  prayer  for  reconciliation  unto  God,  foUoweth 
prayer  to  obtain  the  protection  and  defence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  against  the  devil,  the  world,  and  sin;  and  that  it 
shall  please  God  to  govern  every  man  in  his  vocation  to 
do  the  will  of  God,  and  not  their  own  wills :  then  to  pray 
for  the  governors  of  the  commonwealth,  that  they  may 
govern  and  extol  the  word  of  God,  and  defend  justice ;  then 
for  the  afflicted  church  of  Christ,  that  God  would  deliver 
his  people  from  the  ravening  wolves  of  antichrist,  and  give 
them  true  pastors  and  preachers,  that  would  study  to  gather 
together  the  flock  of  Christ,  so  miserably  dissipated  and  se- 
parated ;  then  for  those  that  be  ignorant  of  the  truth,  that 
God  would  grant  them  grace  to  be  saved  in  Christ  with 
his  church.  More  availeth  this  prayer  unto  God,  than 
many  thousands  of  men  of  war  to  defend  the  church  and 
commonwealth  of  realms,  as  it  may  be  seen  by  Moses: 
when  he  prayed,  the  church  of  Israel  prevailed;  when  he 
ceased,  it  was  put  to  the  worst  by  her  enemies. 

There  is  not  the  poorest  in  any  realm,  nor  most  weak 
person,  but  may  profit  the  commonwealth  where  he  dwelleth 
very  much,  and  help  to  bring  it  to  the  end  and  perfection  that 

['  On  account  of  his  father's  wife  dishonoured,  the  furies  were  in- 
voked against  him.    Homeri  Ilias  ix.  453.] 


BISHOP   OF  W1NCHESTEk"'s  BOOK. 


185 


the  commonwealth  was  and  is  ordained  for.  Though  he  be 
not  able  to  fight  in  the  field  against  man,  he  may  fight  at 
home  by  prayer  against  the  devil,  that  moveth  war  and  se- 
dition to  destroy  the  commonwealth.  Though  his  vocation 
be  not  to  bear  rule  in  the  commonwealth,  yet  may  he  pray 
that  God  give  grace  to  such  as  rule  to  rule  well.  As  the 
commonwealth  is  common  for  all  men,  so  may  all  men  profit 
this  commonwealth,  if  they  have  the  knowledge  and  fear  of 
God.  Thus  meant  Paul,  1  Tim.  ii.,  where  he  exhorted  unto 
prayer  and  intercession,  with  giving  of  thanks.  Read  the 
place,  and  mark  to  what  end  they  should  pray;  to  obtain 
the  end  of  the  commonwealth,  and  that  by  express  words, 
Ut  placidam  ac  tranquillam  vitam  degamus  cum  omni  pietate  iTim.  u. 
et  honestate^y  &c.  But  how  negligent  men  be  in  this  behalf, 
all  the  world  seeth.  I  impute  a  great  part  of  this  fault 
unte  ignorancy,  that  people  knoweth  not  how  great  and 
difiicile  a  matter  it  is  for  a  prince  and  governor  to  rule 
godly  in  his  vocation ;  neither  how  great  a  sin  it  is  to  be 
unmindful  of  such  governors  in  the  common  prayers  of  the 
church. 

Then  after  these  prayers  and  invocations,  there  should 
thanks  be  given  unto  God  for  all  his  mercies :  then  the 
words  of  the  supper  rehearsed,  and  the  sacrament  distri- 
buted to  as  many  in  the  church  as  would  receive  it,  and 
demand  to  receive  it.  So  with  thanksgiving,  and  distribution 
of  such  goods  as  God  hath  given  unto  every  man  for  the 
poor,  to  depart  with  joy  and  tranquillity  of  conscience. 

This  is  the  ceremony  that  is  a  sacrament  of  Chrisfs  holy 
body  and  blood,  expressed  in  the  scripture,  and  the  author 
hereof  is  Christ  himself.  A  more  godly  and  rehgious  thing 
cannot  be  devised,  as  ye  may  see  by  the  author  of  it,  and 
by  the  diligent  writing  thereof  by  the  evangelists  and  apo- 
stles. What  should  cause  the  people  to  leave  this  holy  thing, 
whereof  we  be  assured  that  it  is  good  and  godly,  and  to  use 
a  mass,  that  hath  no  certain  author  ?  Grant  it  were  not  ill, 
(as  it  is  of  all  great  ills  the  worst ;)  yet  who  would  forsake  a 
thing  certain  and  most  religious,  for  a  thing  uncertain,  and 
superstitious  invention  of  man?  Use  the  sacrament  with  the 
same  ceremonies  and  no  more  than  be  expressed  in  the  new 

That  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and 
honesty,  &c.] 


186 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


testament,  as  Christ  did,  and  it  shall  pass  all  the  masses  that 
are,  or  be  to  be  said  in  the  world.  The  external  use  there- 
of, where  as  faith  is,  may  succour  an  inward  and  secret  de- 
speration of  a  troubled  conscience,  so  that  the  mind  be  not 
destitute  of  knowledge:  those  that  too  much  fear  and  tremble 
at  God's  severe  and  rigorous  judgment,  knowing  that  sin 
meriteth  eternal  death,  the  poor  conscience  thus  afflicted 
by  the  means  of  the  devil,  and  horror  of  sin,  taketh  not  as 
great  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God,  as  fear  of  his  justice ;  is  borne 
in  hand  that  mercy  nothing  availeth,  but  by  justice  to  be 
eternally  damned. 

Against  such  imaginations  and  perilous  temptations 
availeth  greatly  the  ceremony  and  use  of  Christ's  supper. 
For  as  man  is  by  his  senses  drawn  to  accomplish  the 
act  of  all  inward  and  secret  conceived  mischief  and  sin, 
where  as  the  senses  find  external  matter  and  sensible  occa- 
sion to  satisfy  the  will  that  willeth  nothing  but  sin ;  so 
where  as  a  good  opinion  is  conceived  of  God  in  the  heart, 
the  judgment  of  man  persuaded  aright  that  God  is  a  mer- 
ciful God,  and  will  pardon  every  sin,  though  it  be  never  so 
heinous,  in  Christ,  the  will  that  with  great  difficulty  con- 
senteth  unto  this  assured  promise  of  God  in  Christ,  is  the 
more  constrained  to  obey  the  knowledge  of  faith,  because 
the  mind  is  not  only  inspired  by  divine  operation  of  God's 
Spirit,  that  his  sins  be  forgiven,  but  also  by  the  object 
represented  unto  the  external  senses,  to  say,  the  doing 
and  celebrating  of  this  holy  supper ;  where  as  the  very  woful 
and  cruel  tragedy  of  Christ's  death  is  set  before  the  senses 
with  breaking  of  the  bread  and  drinking  of  the  cup,  declareth 
that  verily  all  hope  of  salvation  were  past,  remediless,  were 
it  not  for  the  pains,  travails,  death  and  blood-shedding 
of  Christ,  wherewithal  he  satisfied  the  ire  of  God,  brake 
the  prison  of  eternal  death,  and  set  man  at  liberty. 

And  lest  this  thing  once  done  by  Christ  should  fall  into 
oblivion  and  out  of  remembrance,  most  diligently  he  him- 
self shewed  the  manner  and  form,  how  he  would  his  church 
might  best  be  kept  in  mind  of  this  inestimable  benefit ; 
gave  and  instituted  this  holy  sacrament,  to  be  used  for 
the  consolation  of  the  fideles^  till  the  world's  end.  And 
why  should  any  man  take  upon  him  to  change  the  tes- 
['  Fideles :  faithful.] 


BISHOP  OF  WINCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


187 


tament  of  him  that  was  so  merciful  to  die  for  us,  and  of 
such  wisdom,  that  heaven,  and  earth,  and  all  other  creatures 
were  created  and  preserved  by  him  ?  Truly,  as  he  would 
no  man  should  take  upon  him  to  change  the  order  of 
any  thing  that  he  hath  made,  not  to  appoint  the  sun  for 
the  night,  nor  the  moon  for  the  day ;  the  earth  to  bring 
forth  the  fishes  of  the  water,  and  water  the  fruit  of  the 
earth;  but  every  thing  to  remain  in  the  order  and  state  as 
he  appointed  unto  them  in  their  first  creation ;  so  no  man 
ought  to  melle^  in  the  blessed  sacraments,  to  pervert  any 
order  instituted  by  God,  or  say,  this  is  good  to  be  added^ 
and  this  to  be  taken  away;  for  their  imagination  to  deck 
a  priest  with  so  many  vestments,  and  such  other  detest- 
able pomps  and  Judaical  apparels  as  is  in  the  mass,  and 
say,  it  is  to  the  glory  of  God. 

-  Take  the  holy  communion  from  the  people,  and  let  the 
priest  make  a  private  mass  thereof ;  is  it  not  as  much 
to  say  as  Christ  was  a  fool,  and  knew  not  how  to  celebrate 
the  ceremony  that  represented  his  own  death  with  condign 
honour  and  reverence?  Doubtless  it  blasphemeth  God.  For, 
as  he  said  these  words,  and  would  no  man  should  add  nor  di- 
minish any  thing  unto  them,  Germimt  terra  herbam  mrentem, 
reptificent  aquce  reptile  animce  mventis^,  Genesis  i. ;  and  as  Gen.  i. 
he  said  unto  Abraam  of  circumcision,  Genesis  xvii.,  unto  Gen.  xvii. 
Moses  of  Pesah*,  Exodus  xii.,  gave  the  sacraments,  and  how  Exod.  xii. 
they  should  be  used  for  ever,  as  he  had  prescribed  ;  Abraam 
nor  Moses,  who  were  of  marvellous  and  singular  holiness, 
never  added  one  jot  unto  the  form  prescribed  of  God* 
They  knew  they  could  use  a  sacrament  with  no  more  re- 
ligion than  when  they  observed  [the]  institution  of  the 
giver.  All  the  prophets  that  were  after  Moses'  time  were 
as  doctors  and  interpreters  of  Moses''  law ;  yet  never  among 
them  all  none  that  added  or  diminished  any  thing  unto 
the  sacraments.  We  have  a  greater  teacher  in  our  church 
than  Moses  was,  Christ  himself,  which  gave  us  his  sacra- 
ments, and  the  manner  how  they  should  be  used.  The 
apostles  and  evangelists  that  be  the  interpreters  of  Christ's 

[2  Melle:  meddle.] 

Let  the  earth  bring  forth  grass.    Let  the  waters  bring  forth  (abun- 
dantly) the  moving  creature  that  hath  life.] 
Pesah :  the  Passover.] 


188 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


mind  and  pleasure,  neither  in  the  gospel,  ne  in  the  epistles, 
never  changeth  one  jot  of  the  sacraments,  but  used  them 
as  Christ  commanded. 

Such  now-a-day,  as  turn  and  change  the  sacraments 
from  the  order  given  by  Christ,  maketh  Christ  inferior 
unto  Moses,  the  gospel  unto  the  law,  and  the  church  of 
Christ  unto  the  church  of  Moses,  and  declareth  them- 
selves to  be  more  contumelious  against  the  gospel  than 
the  Jews  against  the  law.  Every  Jew  knew  right  well, 
that  these  sacraments  were  sufficiently  prescribed  and  taught 
unto  them  by  the  express  word  of  the  scripture.  These 
massers  say  that  they  can  amend  the  form  that  Christ 
gave,  and  celebrate  the  supper  with  more  religion  than  the 
scripture  teacheth ;  and  of  a  communion  they  make  a  pri- 
vate mass,  and  defend  the  same  as  a  thing  of  all  things 
most  holy. 

Doubtless,  if  their  saying  be  true,  and  their  mass  of  such 
holiness  as  they  make  it  of,  we  are  little  beholding  unto 
Christ,  that  he  would  not  his  church  should  have  the  use  of 
the  sacraments  plainly  known  by  his  testament,  as  the  use  of 
the  sacraments  unto  our  fathers  were  known  by  the  law. 
Fortunate,  then,  were  these  that  were  of  the  old  church, 
before  Christ  was  born;  for  they  were  certain  of  their 
ceremonies  and  sacraments,  by  the  express  word  of  God, 
which  cannot  lie;  but  we,  in  the  time  of  the  gospel,  as 
they  say,  must  believe  the  doctrine  and  tradition  of  man, 
and  obligate  both  body  and  soul  unto  the  same,  as  unto 
a  trath  infallible,  and  prefer  it  before  the  word  of  God : 
for  where  the  word  saith  one  thing,  they  say  another. 
The  scripture  that  affirmeth  the  supper  to  be  a  communion, 
they  say  it  must  be  a  private  mass.  Christ  said,  Bibite 
1  Cor.  xi.  ex  m  omnes^ ;  and  so  said  Paul,  1  Cor.  xi. :  they  say, 
the  one  kind  is  sufficient  for  the  people.  Had  any  doctor 
among  the  Jews  used  such  a  blasphemy  against  the  law 
of  Moses,  the  people  would  not  have  brought  the  doctor 
unto  the  schools  to  have  disputed  the  matter,  but  before 
the  judge,  to  have  had  sentence  of  death  against  him,  that 
they  might  have  slain  the  blasphemer  with  stones.  Unto 
us  that  be  Christians,  against  Chrisfs  law,  they  may  say 
what  they  list,  and  have  good  thank  for  their  labour. 
['  Drink  ye  all  of  it.    Matt.  xxvi.  27.] 


BISHOP  OF  AVINCHESTER's  BOOK. 


189 


Better  ear  is  given  unto  the  word  of  man  than  unto  the 
word  of  God  :  a  tale  of  an  old  tub  better  heard  than  a 
godly  sermon  of  the  new  testament.  People  could  never 
have  been  brought  unto  this  contempt  of  God's  truth, 
had  not  the  devil  and  the  devilish  laws  of  bishops  taken 
the  word  of  God  from  them,  wherein  only  is  declared  the 
will  of  God  unto  us,  what  is  good  and  what  is  ill,  what 
to  be  chosen,  and  what  to  be  refused.  A  thousand  times 
more  ignorant  are  the  Christians  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the 
whole"  scripture,  than  the  Jews.  Never  met  I  with  one 
Jew,  but  he  could  reason  familiarly  in  any  book  of  the 
old  testament,  as  a  great  learned  man  among  the  Christians 
in  any  place  of  the  new  testament :  yea,  and  likewise, 
some  in  the  new  testament  also;  and  by  the  new  tes- 
tament, with  many  strong  arguments,  can  prove  the  mass, 
and  other  ceremonies,  to  be  against  the  new  testament, 
to  the  great  shame  of  christian  men,  that  the  enemies  of 
Christ  know  better  what  is  contained  in  the  new  testa- 
ment, than  those  that  hath  professed  Christ.  And  no 
marvel ;  for  every  Jew  is  able  to  instruct  his  own  family 
in  the  bible,  and  beginneth  to  teach  his  child  the  xxth 
chapter  of  Exodus  as  soon  as  he  can  speak  Aleph.  God 
of  his  mercy  turn  them  to  his  faith  I  and  then  I  doubt 
not  they  will  more  advance  God's  gospel  than  we,  and 
better  keep  the  word  of  God  in  honour,  without  false 
glosses,  than  we. 

I  desire  those  that  defend  these  masses  and  other 
robbery  of  God's  glory  in  the  church,  to  make  some  book 
of  every  thing  that  they  defend ;  shew  who  was  the  author 
of  their  doctrine,  and  first  brought  it  into  the  church ;  in 
whose  days  and  what  year  it  was  done ;  and  prove  their 
book  to  be  good  by  the  word  of  God  only,  or  else  no 
man  will  believe  it ;  and  that  their  use  of  the  sacraments 
is  prescribed  unto  the  church  by  the  word  of  God,  and 
tell  us  what  difference  is  between  a  sacrament  and  the 
thing  signified  by  the  sacrament,  or  whether  the  sacra- 
ment and  the  thing  meant  by  the  sacrament  be  one  thing ; 
and  what  I  should  judge  of  the  signs,  and  what  of  the  thing 
signified  by  the  signs.  The  scripture  teacheth  otherwise 
than  the  popish  church  teacheth  of  sacraments.  God  said 
P  hole,  in  the  original.] 


]90 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


unto  Noah,  that  the  rainbow  was  a  sign  of  the  covenant 
Gen.ix.  between  God  and  him,  Gen.  ix. :  sic  Abrahamo  de  cir- 
cumcisione:  Et  erit  leooth  foederis  inter  me  et  inter  ms\ 
Gen.  xvii.  Gen.  xvii. :  de  pesah,  Exod.  xii.,  M  erit  hcedum  nobis  in 
signum ;  et  erit  uoMs  dies  ille  in  memoriam,  et  celehrabitis 
ewm  pro  festo  Domini  in  generationes  vestras^. 

Now  let  the  christian  reader  mark  our  sacraments,  and 
the  words  that  Christ  used  when  he  instituted  them,  and  see 
how  that  Christ  alluded  unto  the  sacraments  of  the  old  church. 
He  said  that  pesah  should  be  celebrated,  and  the  day  of  that 
solemnity  kept  holy  as  a  memory  of  God's  mercy  done  in 
Egypt,  when  he  killed  by  his  angel  all  the  first-begotten  in 
Egypt,  and  saved  the  Israelites.  So  saith  he  in  the  evange- 
lists by  his  holy  supper,  "  Do  it  in  the  memory  of  me 
and  Paul  saith,  "  As  many  times  as  ye  do  it,  ye  shall  de- 
clare the  death  of  the  Lord  till  he  come." 

They  of  the  old  time  kept  in  memory  the  fact  of  the  angel 
in  Egypt,  and  carried  not  with  them  always  the  angel  in  the 
sacrament  of  pesah;  but  the  angel,  when  he  had  done  his  office 
appointed  by  God,  returned  again  into  heavens  unto  God. 
Such  as  be  of  Christ's  church  keep  in  memory  the  fact  of 
Christ  done  upon  the  earth  for  the  salvation  of  the  world  by 
the  death  of  his  innocent  body,  and  doth  not  carry  about  in 
the  sacrament  the  body  of  Christ  itself;  for  that  after  forty 
days  ascended  into  heavens,  after  that  it  had  done  the  office 
that  God  appointed  it  unto,  to  say,  to  be  slain  upon  the  earth, 
and  then  to  rise  again  and  be  exalted  into  the  unspeakable 
joys  of  heaven  :  as  Paul  saith,  Ascendit  ut  adimpleret  omnia, 
Ephes.  iv.  Ephes.  iv.  "  He  ascended  to  fulfil  all  things,"  not  with  his 
corporal  presence,  as  some  men  say,  but  to  fulfil  all  things  that 
was  wroten  of  him  in  the  law,  the  prophets,  and  psalms, 
and  to  leave  us  a  sacrament  of  his  blessed  sacrifice  in  the 
church,  to  be  a  memory  of  that  glorious  death  until  the 
world's  end.  Which  sacrament  is  not  a  bare  sign  and  token 
of  his  death  only,  as  many  men  imagine,  as  the  picture  of 

P  Thus  to  Abraham  concerning  circumcision :  "  And  it  shall  be 
(m^b)  «  toleen  of  the  covenant  betwixt  me  and  you."   Gen.  xvii.  11.] 

1^^  Of  the  Passover:  And  the  (blood)  kid  shall  be  to  you  for  a  token. 
And  this  day  shall  be  unto  you  for  a  memorial,  and  ye  shall  keep  it  a 
feast  to  the  Lord  throughout  your  generations.   Exod.  xii.  13, 14.] 


BISHOP  OP  WINCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


1.91 


Hercles  is  Hercles,  or  the  image  of  Jupiter  to  be  Jupiter: 
but  I  put  as  much  difference  between  the  sacraments  of 
Christ,  and  all  other  signs  and  tokens  not  appointed  for 
sacraments,  as  I  do  between  the  seal  of  a  prince,  that  is 
annexed  unto  the  writing  or  charter  that  containeth  all  the 
prince's  right  and  title  that  he  hath  unto  his  realm,  and  the 
king's  arms  painted  in  a  glass  window.  Such  seals,  annexed 
unto  so  weighty  writings,  be  no  less  esteemed  than  the  whole 
right,  title,  or  claim  that  is  confirmed  by  the  seal,  though  the 
matter  of  the  seal  be  nothing  but  wax,  not  for  the  value  of 
the  matter,  (for  twopence  will  buy  ten  times  as  much  wax,) 
but  for  the  use  that  the  matter  is  appointed  unto.  And  he 
that  would  take  upon  him  to  deny  the  king's  seal  in  such  a 
purpose,  and  say,  it  is  but  a  piece  of  wax,  it  were  no  less 
than  treason,  and  a  very  contempt  of  the  king  himself ; 
becq.use  the  king  hath  appointed  that  seal  to  be  honourably 
received  and  reverently  used  of  all  men.  And  as  the 
writings  sealed  doth  confirm  and  declare  the  right  of  the 
owner  unto  all  the  world ;  so  doth  the  sacraments  confirm 
the  assurance  of  everlasting  life  unto  the  faithfuls,  and  de- 
clareth  the  same  to  all  the  world.  And  as  the  matter, 
substance,  and  land  itself  is  not  corporally  nor  really  con- 
tained in  the  writing,  nor  annexed  to  the  writing,  neither 
brought  (when  any  matter  of  controversy  is  for  the  land) 
before  the  judge  with  the  writing ;  no  more  is  the  corporal 
body  of  Christ  brought  before  the  church,  neque  mm  pane, 
neque  in  pane,  neque  suh  pane,  neque  per  panem,  neque  ante 
panem,  neque  post  panem^.  But  when  the  minister  delivereth 
unto  me  the  thing  that  is  in  his  power  to  deliver,  to  say,  the 
bread  and  wine,  rehearsing  the  words  of  Christ's  institution, 
the  Holy  Ghost  delivereth  unto  my  faith,  which  is  mounted 
and  ascended  into  heaven,  the  precious  body  and  blood  of  my 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  spiritually,  and  not  corporally.  So  doth 
the  merits  of  this  precious  body  in  heaven  feed  my  poor 
wretched  soul  upon  the  earth ;  and  no  contradiction  or  im- 
possibility for  Christ's  body  so  to  do.  It  may  be  in  heaven, 
and  yet  extend  his  virtue  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
into  my  soul,  by  the  means  of  faith,  which  at  the  time  of  the 
receiving  of  this  sacrament  is  in  my  soul,  and  out  of  my  soul ; 

P  Neither  with  the  bread,  nor  in  the  bread,  nor  under  the  bread, 
nor  by  the  bread,  nor  before  the  bread,  nor  after  the  bread.] 


J92 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


as  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  every  godly  heart,  and  out  of  the 
heart  in  heaven  with  God :  so  was  God,  at  the  creation  of 
man  unto  his  own  hkeness,  in  man  and  out  of  man. 

Yet,  to  make  it  more  plain,  as  the  sun  in  heaven  doth 
extend  down  his  beams  and  lighten  the  earth,  so  doth  Christ's 
body  by  faith,  in  spirit,  expulse  all  darkness  and  sin  out  of 
the  heart ;  moveth  not  bodily,  but  is  every  where,  where 
faith  is,  spiritually,  and  at  one  time.  As  a  man  remaining 
in  one  place  may  address  his  thoughts  into  heaven  or  into 
hell,  as  many  times  as  he  listeth  to  meditate  either  the  one 
place  or  the  other;  so  Paul  exhorteth  the  christian  man, 

Heb.  iv.  Heb.  iv.,  Accedamus  ad  thromm  gratice,  ut  misericordiam 
et  gratiam  et  auxilmm  opportw/ium  imeniamus^,  calling  the 
throne  of  grace  our  sole  mediator,  to  say,  the  peace-maker 
between  God  and  man. 

This  body  of  Christ  is  only  in  heaven,  and  no  where  else, 

ijohnii.  as  St  Johu  saith,  1  Epist.  ii.  So  doth  Augustine^  write, 
Tract,  in  John.  80.  Sursum  est  Dominus.  Et  iterum.  Corpus 
enim  Domini  resurrexit^  in  una  loco  oportet  esse^  So  doth 
the  Master  of  the  Sentence  allege  his  words,  and  not  in  uno 
loco  esse  potest'^,  as  the  later  edition  readeth.  How  fond 
doctrine  the  schoolmen  teacheth,  it  is  plain  :  Lombertus'  in 
the  Sentence,  Innocentius^  in  the  Decretals,  de  stmma 

[}  Let  us. ..come... to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.    Heb.  iv.  16.] 

Sursum  est  Dominus  :  sed  etiam  hie  est  Veritas  Dominus.  Corpus 
enim  Domini  in  quo  resurrexit  uno  loco  esse  potest :  Veritas  ejus  ubique 
tJiiFusa  est.  Aug.  Op.  Tract,  xxx.  Tom.  ix.  co.  24.  Basilii  (Frobenius) 
1543.]  * 

P  The  Lord  is  above :  and  again,  For  the  body  of  the  Lord  is  risen, 
it  ought  to  be  in  one  place.  Lombardus  quotes  Augustine  nearly 
as  in  the  text :  but  in  the  Benedictine  edition,  as  well  as  that  of  1543, 
it  is  "  as  the  later  edition  readeth."  Pet.  Lomb.  Lugdun,  1570.  Lib.  iv. 
distinct.  10.  p.  310.] 

[*  Can  be  in  one  place.] 

Lombertus.    See  above,  note  8,  Pet.  Lomb.] 

["  Una  vero  est  fidelium  universalis  ecclesia,  extra  quam  nullus 
omnino  salvatur.  In  qua  idem  ipse  sacerdos  est  sacrificium  Jesus  Christus : 
cujus  corpus  et  sanguis  in  sacramento  altaris  sub  speciebus  panis  et  vini 
veraciter  continentur,  transubstantiatis  pane  in  corpus  et  vino  in  san- 
guinem  potestate  divina :  ut,  ad  perficiendum  mysterium  unitatis,  acci- 
piamus  ipsi  de  suo  quod  accepit  ipse  de  nostro.  Et  hoc  utique  sacra- 
mentum  nemo  potest  conficere  nisi  sacerdos,  qui  rite  fuerit  ordinatus 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


193 


Trinitate  ef  fide  cath.  ca.  Firmiter,  and  Nicolaus  Papa'  de 
Consec.  dist.  2,  ca.  Ego  Berengarius.  This  doctrine  sub- 
verteth  itself,  if  men  mark  it  well.  For  as  soon  as  they 
have  confessed  the  bread  to  be  the  essential  and  substantial 
body  of  Christ,  and  the  wine  his  natural  blood,  they  add, 
sed  imisiUliter  et  ineffahiliter,  et  mn  ut  in  loco,  mn  qualitative 
aut  quantitative"^  So  doth  Thomas  Aquinas,  ^ar#  iii.  Qucest. 
76',  and  Lombertus  lib.  sentent.  iy.  Distinct.  10'°,  sophistically 
dispute  the  matter.  Is  it  not  a  wonder  that  men  will  not 
mark  what  contradiction  is  in  their  words  I  First  they  say, 
Christ's  very  natural,  corporal,  physical,  substantial  and  real 
body  is  in  the  sacrament ;  the  body  that  died  upon  the  cross, 
was  buried,  that  rose  the  third  day,  that  was  taken  into 
heavens ;  and  yet  they  make  it  without  quality  and  quantity. 
Notice  this :  a  marvellous  doctrine,  to  say  Christ  now  hath 
a  body  that  is  neither  great  neither  small.  Truly  if  he  have 
now  such  a  body  as  is  invisible,  without  all  qualities  and 
quantities,  then  had  he  never  upon  the  earth  a  true  body, 
but  a  fantastical  body,  as  they  make  him  to  have  in  the 
sacrament. 

But  I  confirm  my  faith  by  the  scripture,  that  teacheth 
of  his  incarnation  and  very  manhood,  Matthew  i.  Luke  i.  Matt.  i. 

Luke  i 

Romans  i.   Hebrews  i.  ii.  ix.   x.  Matthew  xxvi.  xxvii.  Rom.  i'. 
Mark  xiv.  1 ,  and  by  all  the  scripture  ;  and  let  this  false  x. 

Matt,  xxvi 

imagination  of  Christ's  body  pass,  that  they  speak  of  to  be  xxvii! 
in  the  sacrament ;  and  would  the  christian  reader  not  to  be 
moved  with  this  doctrine  at  all,  but  to  set  Saint  Augustine 
against  the  Master  of  the  Sentence  and  all  other  school 
doctors,  be  they  realists  or  formalists.    He  declareth  plainly 

secundum  claves  ecclesiae,  quas  ipse  concessit  Apostolis  eorumque  suc- 
cessoribus  Jesus  Christus.  Corpus  Juris  Canon.  Greg.  xiii.  Parisiis, 
1687,  Tom.  II.  p.  1.] 

Ore,  et  corde  profiteor  panem  et  vinum,  quse  in  altari 

ponuntur,  post  consecrationera  non  solum  sacramentum,  sed  etiam  varum 
corpus  et  sanguinem  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  esse,  et  sensualiter,  non 
solum  Sacramento,  sed  in  veritate  manibus  sacerdotum  tractari,  frangi, 
et  fidelium  dentibus  atteri.   Nicolaus,  ibid.,  Tom.  i.  p.  458.|] 

But  invisibly  and  ineffably,  and  not  as  in  any  place,  or  quality,  or 
quantity.] 

Sum.  Tot.  Theol.  tertise  partis  vol.  secundi,  Colonias  Agrip.  1639, 

Qusest.  Lvii.  Tom.  viii.  p.  218,  &c.] 

\}°  See  above,  Pet.  Lomb.] 

r  1  "13 

[hooper. J 


194 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


that  no  body  can  be  except  it  occupy  place',  Epist.  ad  Dar- 
dmum  57.  Spatia,  mquit,  looorum  tolle  corporihus,  nusquam 
ermt;  et  quia  mtsquam  ermt,  mc  erunt.  ToUe  ipsa  corpora  quali- 
tatibus  corpormth,  nan  erit  uhi  sint ;  et  idea  necesse  est,  ut  mn 
sint.  Though  Christ  be  absent  bodily  from  his  church,  yet 
with  his  aid,  help  and  consolation,  he  is  present  in  spirit, 
which  sufficeth  until  the  end  of  the  world,  where  as  we  shall 
see  his  glorious  body  indeed  really  and  corporally,  that  now 
have  but  a  sign  and  sacrament  thereof,  which  sufficeth  to 
keep  that  holy  sacrifice  in  memory,  and  is  profitable,  so  that 
the  christian  man  be  well  instructed  what  difference  is  be- 
tween the  sign  and  the  thing  represented  by  the  sign,  and 
taketh  not  the  one  for  the  other,  as  Saint  Augustine  teach- 
eth^,  lib.  III.  de  Docfrina  Christiana,  cap.  5,  8,  and  as  Paul 

Rom.iv.    teacheth  Rom.  iv.  interpretating  the  words  of  Moses,  Gen. 

Gen.  xvu.   ^^jj^  pactwm  meum^  ;  and  saith  that  Abraham  re- 

ceived sphragida  justitim  qim  per  fidem  apprehenditw'^ ,  and 
saith  plainly  that  circumcision  was  not  the  alliance  between 
God  and  Abraam,  but  the  confirmation  of  the  promise 
granted  and  given  before.  And  so  be  all  other  sacraments, 
whether  they  be  of  the  old  church  or  of  the  new,  called 
sphragides,  signs  and  confirmations,  quia  svmt  mcalia,  visibiUa 
qucedam,  et  palpahilia  testimonia,  ac  veluti  consignationes  pro- 
missionis  Dei  acceptce  per  fidem  in  Christo^.  Therefore  it 
shall  be  necessary  for  the  christian  reader  to  learn  by  heart 
what  a  sign  is,  and  to  know  the  nature  and  office  thereof. 

A  sign  is  a  thing  subject  unto  the  senses,  whereby  is  re- 
membered the  thing  signified  by  the  sign.  This  thing  known, 
men  must  take  heed  they  attribute  no  more  nor  no  less 

\}  Aug.  Op.  BasUias,  1682,  Tom.  11.  Ep.  57.  Ad  Dardanum,  col.  275. 
Take  away  (saith  he)  the  spaces  occupied  by  bodies,  and  they  shall 
be  nowhere ;  and  because  nowhere,  not  in  existence.  Take  away  the 
bodies  from  the  qualities  of  bodies,  and  they  shall  not  be  in  any  place; 
and  therefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  they  do  not  exist.] 

P  Nam  in  principio  cavendum  est,  ne  figuratam  locutionem  ad  lite- 
ram  accipias,  &c.   Aug.  Op.  Basiliae,  1582,  Tom.  iii.  col.  48,  &c.] 

P  This  is  my  covenant.   Gen.  xvii.  10.] 

[*  A  seal  of  the  righteousness  which  is  apprehended  by  faith.  Rom. 
iv.  11.] 

1^°  Because  they  are  certain  vocal,  visible,  and  palpable  testimonies, 
and  (as  it  were)  sealings  of  the  promise  of  God  received  through  faith 
ift  Christ.] 


BISHOP  OP  WINCHESTEk's  BOOK. 


195 


unto  the  signs  than  is  to  be  attributed  of  right.  And  what- 
soever virtue  be  represented  by  the  sign,  yet  naust  we  judge 
of  the  sign  according  unto  the  nature  of  the  sign.  As  in  the 
time  of  war,  if  the  captain  either  by  a  word,  either  by  hold- 
ing up  of  his  hand,  would  signify  unto  the  rest  of  the  host 
when  they  should  march  forth,  or  retire  back,  it  is  neither 
the  word,  neither  the  beck  of  the  hand,  that  is  the  marching 
forth  or  retiring  back :  but  these  signs  declareth  unto  the 
soldiers  when  they  should  go  back  or  forth. 

By  the  examples  of  the  scriptures  I  will  make  it  more 
plain,  that  every  man  shall  be  able  to  judge  aright  of  a  sign. 
Read  the  tenth  chapter  of  Numbers,  where  as  the  children  of 
Israel  departed  from  the  desert  of  Sinai  into  the  desert 
of  Pharan  in  warlike  order,  every  man  appointed  unto  his 
captain,  and  under  what  banner  he  should  be :  every  man 
that  was  of  the  tribe  of  Juda  to  be  under  Nahson,  the 
general  captain  of  that  tribe,  and  under  his  banner ;  such 
as  were  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar,  to  be  under  Nethanael,  and 
his  banner ;  they  of  the  tribe  of  Zebulon,  under  Eliab,  and 
his  banner  ;  and  so  forth,  as  it  is  wroten  in  that  chapter. 

Now  note  what  a  sign  is  in  this  place.  A  mark,  or 
open  token,  whereby  every  man  in  the  host  knew  unto  what 
captain  and  company  he  should  resort ;  and  when  every  man 
was  in  his  proper  place,  the  one  knew  by  these  signs  and 
banners,  of  what  lineage  and  progeny  the  other  was.  Here 
seest  thou,  christian  reader,  what  a  sign  is,  a  declaration  of 
the  person  unto  what  captain  and  tribe  he  appertained. 
The  signs  made  no  man  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  but  declared 
him  that  was  in  that  ward  to  be  of  the  tribe  of  Juda.  Here 
is  the  sign,  and  the  thing  signified  by  the  sign,  well  declared. 
Now  were  it  ill  done,  to  call  the  banner  and  sign  the 
tribe  of  Juda,  and  say  the  sign  were  the  thing  represented  by 
the  sign.  The  sign  therefore  of  every  thing  must  be  judged 
after  his  nature  ;  if  it  be  cloth,  to  say  it  is  cloth.  If  a  man 
should  have  made  a  garment  of  the  banner  of  Juda,  a  sail- 
cloth, or  any  covering  for  such  things  as  were  in  the  taber- 
nacle, they  would  have  judged  aright  as  the  thing  was,  and 
called  it  a  coat  of  cloth,  according  to  the  matter  whereof  it 
was  made. 

When  the  keys  of  any  city  or  town  be  offered  unto  the 
emperor  or  prince,  as  unto  the  supreme  governor  thereof,  it 

13—2 


196 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


is  a  sign  and  sacrament  of  the  citizens'  obedience  unto  the 
prince  to  whom  they  be  delivered :  but  if  any  man  would  ask 
what  the  sign  of  this  obedience  were,  every  man  would 
answer,  it  is  a  key  or  keys,  and  not  the  subjects'"  obedience 
under  the  form  of  a  key;  or  else  say,  that  the  city  and 
citizens  be  turned  into  the  keys,  or  the  keys  into  the  city 
or  citizens,  or  any  such  like  phrase^    But  they  know  that  obe- 
dience is  in  the  heart,  and  a  sign  of  the  obedience  is  the  keys. 
For  in  case  the  prince  had  no  better  assurance  and  warrant 
of  the  citizens'  obedience,  than  is  contained  really  and  sub- 
stantially in  the  keys,  they  might  by  fraud  allure  him  with 
false  hope  unto  the  gates  of  the  city,  and  then  bolt  the  gates 
withinside  against  him,  and  not  only  keep  him  out  of  the 
city,  but  also  by  treason  put  him  out  of  his  life :  then  re- 
ceived he  nothing  in  the  keys.    Likewise,  if  any  man  should 
feign  himself  to  be  the  prince  of  the  city,  and  the  citizens, 
unawares  thereof,  should  deliver  the  keys,  and  after  the 
deliverance  know  that  he  is  not  their  true  prince ;  well,  he 
may  keep  the  sacrament  and  external  sign  of  their  obedience, 
but  he  shall  not  enter  the  city  any  thing  the  rather.  Now, 
with  this  sign  this  counterfeited  prince  receiveth  not  at  all  the 
thing  meant  by  the  sign,  no  more  than  he  that  was  of  the 
tribe  of  Dan  could  make  himself  of  the  tribe  of  Juda  with 
standing  under  the  banner  or  sign  of  Juda.    They  say  that 
the  sign  is  not  only  a  sign  of  the  thing  that  it  signifieth ;  but 
also  there  is  contained  in  the  sign,  and  with  the  sign,  the 
thing  that  it  signifieth.    That  is  not  so.    No  sign,  insomuch 
as  it  is  a  sign,  can  be  the  sign  and  the  thing  meant  by  the 
sign.    God  commanded  the  children  of  Israel  to  blow  the 
silver  trumpets,  when  they  entered  battle  against  their  ene- 
mies, that  thereby  they  might  remember  that  God  had  not 
forgotten  them ;  yet  was  not  the  mercy  of  God  and  their 
victory  inclosed  in  the  trumpets.    So  these  signs  in  the 
sacraments,  because  of  God's  promise  and  contract  made 
with  his  church,  are  tokens  that  God  will  give  the  thing 
signified  by  the  sacraments.    No  man  therefore,  upon  pain 
of  God's  displeasure,   should  contemn  these  holy  sacra- 
ments ;  nor  no  man  of  the  other  part  should  judge  of 
them  more  than  of  right  may  be  admitted.    A  hard  thing 

[}  Knays  into  the  Cyte  or  Citicince  or  ony  souch-like  frace,  in 
the  original.] 


BISHOP    Of   WINCHESTER  S  BOOK. 


197 


is  it  to  keep  the  mean :  or  else  we  extol  the  signs  over- 
much, or  else  too  much  condemn  them.  Such  as  make 
the  signs  of  the  sacrament,  which  is  bread  and  wine,  God, 
commit  idolatry,  and  knoweth  not  what  a  sign  is.  The  people 
are  not  only  abused  in  this  sacrament,  but  also  in  every 
other  thing  used  in  the  church,  for  lack  of  knowledge. 

The  ringing  of  the  bells  was  instituted  to  convocate 
and  call  together  the  congregation  of  the  church  at  a  cer- 
tain hour,  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  to  use  the  holy 
sacraments ;  or  else  to  shew  when  there  should  be  any  con- 
sultation and  assemblance  for  matters  touching  the  com- 
monwealth. The  thing  is  now  come  to  that  point,  that 
people  think  God  to  be  highly  honoured  by  the  sound  of 
the  bells.  Some  think  that  the  sound  hath  power  in  the 
soul  of  man.  They  ring  so  diligently  for  the  dead,  that 
they-  break  the  ropes,  to  pull  the  souls  out  of  purgatory. 
They  say  that  the  sound  can  drive  away  the  devil,  and 
cease  all  tempests.  Other  say,  that  the  sound  moveth 
and  stirreth  unto  devotion.  Doubtless  they  judge  amiss : 
if  devotion  come  while  the  bell  ringeth,  it  cometh  not 
thereby,  but  by  God's  Spirit ;  for  it  is  not  the  nature  of 
the  sound  to  give  it.  It  may  be  a  sign  of  devotion,  as  the 
comet  or  blazing  star  may  be  called  a  sign  of  God's  ire 
or  anger,  though  the  star  of  his  nature  is  not  to  be 
feared.  But  there  is  another  thing  that  feareth^  the  man, 
the  fear  of  God's  punishment.  So  the  crowing  of  the 
cock  is  a  sign  of  the  drawing  near  of  the  sun  unto  our 
horizon.  It  may  be  also  the  occasion  that  man  riseth 
early  in  the  morning:  howbeit  the  crowing  of  the  cock 
causeth  it  not,  but  the  business  and  affairs  that  he  hath  to 
do,  the  love  that  he  hath  to  serve  God  in  his  vocation  ; 
or  else  he  would  not  rise  at  the  calling  of  the  cock,  but 
sleep  as  a  slothful  man,  until  he  could  sleep  no  more. 

Howbeit  it  may  fortune,  men  will  object  and  say,  that 
these  signs  that  I  have  spoken  of,  and  the  signs  of  the 
sacraments  ordained  in  the  church  be  not  like  all  one 
concerning  the  nature  of  signs.  The  diversity  is  by  the 
word  annexed  unto  the  sign,  and  the  use  whereunto  the 
sign  is  appointed.  There  are  two  kinds  and  diverse  sorts 
of  sacraments,  and  God  is  the  author  of  them  both.  The 
P  feareth  :  alarnieth.] 


198 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


one  kind  appointed  unto  the  ministry  of  the  church,  always 
to  be  used  in  the  congregation  of  God,  and  hath  the 
word  of  God  and  promise  of  God's  mercy  annexed  unto 
it ;  so  that  whosoever  contemned  the  use  of  those  sacra- 
ments were  excluded  from  the  promise  of  God,  and  also 
from  eternal  life.  Of  these  sort  of  sacraments  were  two 
in  the  church  of  the  Israelites,  circumcision,  and  pesah; 
Gen.  xrii.  Genesis  xvii.,  Exodus  xii.  Of  the  other  sort  of  sacraments 
Exod.  Ml.  ^j^^  ^^j^      ^j^^  clouds,  the  which  God  called  the  ark 

of  his  alliance  between  him,  of  the  one  party,  man  and 
Gen.  ix.  beast,  of  the  other  party,  Genesis  ix. ;  and  likewise 
the  celestial  fire  that  consumed  the  sacrifice  of  our  fathers 
Gen.  iv.  in  the  beginning  of  the  world.  Genesis  iv.  There  was 
none  of  these  two  appointed  by  God  to  be  used  in  the 
ministry  of  the  church,  as  circumcision  and  pesah  was. 
But  God  at  his  pleasure,  when  he  fisted,  shewed  by  such 
signs  his  love  and  favour  unto  the  eyes  of  such  as  loved 
him.  Notwithstanding,  there  was  no  promise  annexed 
unto  these  sacraments,  of  life  eternal.  Now  in  both  these 
sacraments,  as  well  those  that  were  appointed  to  the  ministry 
of  the  church  as  those  that  were  not,  were  none  other 
than  testimonies  of  the  promise  that  God  had  made  with 
them  that  used  the  signs,  before  they  received  the  signs; 
and  the  cause  why  God  would  annex  these  signs  unto  his 
promise,  though  there  be  many,  yet  is  this  the  principal, 
to  admonish  him  that  received  them  of  God's  pleasure  and 
good  will  towards  him,  to  excitate  and  confirm  the  faith 
he  hath  in  the  promises,  to  declare  his  obedience  unto 
God,  and  by  the  use  of  these  sacraments  to  manifest  the 
Hving  God  unto  the  world,  and  give  occasion  to  other 
for  to  do  the  same.  Then  are  these  sacraments  as  very 
chains  and  sinews,  to  conjunge  and  bind  together  all  the 
members  of  Christ  in  one  body,  whereof  he  is  the  head ; 
by  the  which  exercise  and  use  of  sacraments  the  church 
of  God  declareth  itself  to  be  divided  from  all  other  nations 
that  use  not  the  same  sacraments.  But  beware,  christian 
reader,  when  thou  speakest  of  the  end  wherefore  the  sa- 
craments were  instituted^,  that  thou  confound  not  the  ends, 
and  take  one  for  the  other.    For  if  thou  do,  thou  hast 

[}  Thow  speakist  of  then  wherfore  the  sacramentes  wkere  insti- 
tutid,  in  the  original.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


199 


ascended  the  next  [de]gree  to  neglect   the  sacraments. 
Some  say  they  are  but  signs  of  our  profession,  that  dis- 
cern us  from  other  people ;  as  in  time  past  the  Romans  were 
known  from  all  other  nations  by  their  apparel.     But  we 
must  understand  that  the  first,  chief,  and  principal  cause 
why  the  sacraments  were  instituted,  to  be  testimonies  of 
God's  pleasure  towards  us,  as  Paul  saith  by  circumcision, 
Romans  iv.    Behold  the  scripture,  and  then  thou  shalt  see 
always  that  signs  of  God's  favour  were  given  unto  the  ^o™- 
faithful,  and  ceremonies  annexed  unto  the  promise  of  grace, 
from  the  fall  of  Adam  unto  this  present  day.    And  as 
the  promise  was  renewed,  so  God  gave  new  signs  and 
testimonies  of  the  promise:  after  the  fire'^  unto  Adam  and 
Abel,  circumcision  unto  Abraam,  because  the  promise  of 
salvation  was  renewed  and  made  more  open  unto  Abraam 
than  unto  Adam.     Inimicitias  ponam  inter  te  et  mulierem, 
et  semen  tuum  et  semen  illius,^  &c.     Genesis  iii.    Now  byGen.  iii. 
express  words  unto  Abraam,   In  semine  tuo  benedicentur 
omnes  trihus  terrce'^,  shewed  that  in  his  seed  all  the  world 
should  be  blessed.    And  when  this  promise  of  God  unto 
Abraam,  by  reason  of  the  long  captivity  of  Abraam's  seed 
in  Egypt,  was  Hke  to  have  been  forgotten,  and  the  truth 
of  God's   word  little  regarded  among  the   posterity  of 
Abraam,  God  sent  again   new  preachers  of  his  truth, 
Moses  and  Aaron,  t€i  call  this  gospel  unto  remembrance, 
In  semine  tm  benedicentur  omnes  trihus  ierrw^.    And  with 
the  restoring  of  this  light  again  unto  the  church  he  gave 
likewise  new  signs,  many  a  one,  as  the  four  latter  books 
of  Moses  testifieth ;  namely,  the  killing  of  the  lamb,  which 
was  a  sacrament  of  Christ's  death  to  come. 

What  occasions  is  there  given  to  mortal  man  to  ren- 
der thanks  imto  God  for  the  preservation  of  his  church, 
that  when  the  light  of  truth  seemed  to  be  clean  put  out, 
he  kindled  it  again !  After  Noe,  the  preacher  of  the  promise 
was  Abraam ;  after  Moses,  Samuel,  David  and  other :  in 

Ffyer,  in  the  original.   Probably  an  allusion  to  the  manner  in 
which  God  testified  his  acceptance  of  their  sacrifices.] 

I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between 
thy  seed  and  her  seed,  &c.   Gen.  iii.  I6.3 

\^  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  Gen. 
xxii.  18.] 


200 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


the  time  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  Simeon,  Zacharias, 
Anna,  and  Maria.  When  the  light  of  the  gospel  was 
brought  into  the  church,  there  was  also  new  ceremonies 
and  sacraments  given  to  be  signs  of  God's  promise ;  bap- 
tism, and  the  supper  of  the  Lord.  The  which  two  sacra- 
ments we  have  for  circumcision  and  pesah,  and  are  the 
same  in  effect  with  the  sacraments  of  the  old  law,  saving 
they  signified  Christ  to  come,  and  ours  declare  and  sig- 
nify Christ  to  be  passed  bodily  out  of  the  world;  and 
that  the  elements  and  matter  of  our  sacraments  is  changed 
from  theirs.  For  the  lamb  that  signified  Christ  to  die, 
we  have  bread  and  wine  that  signifieth  Christ  to  have  died ; 
and  as  Christ's  body  was  not  corporally  in  the  lamb,  no 
more  is  it  in  the  bread  and  wine :  for  they  be  sacraments 
of  one  and  the  same-self  thing,  instituted  by  God  to  one 
and  the  same  purpose ;  the  one  to  prophesy  the  death  of 
Christ  to  come,  the  other  to  preach  and  manifest  the 
death '  to  be  past :  the  one  commanded,  to  be  a  memory 

Exod.  xii.  of  the  thing  done  in  Egypt,  Exod.  xii. ;  the  other,  to  be 
a  memory  of  the  thing  done  in  the  mount  of  Calvary,  1 

icor.xi.  Cor.  xi.  The  memory  of  the  one  was  not  the  thing  that 
was  remembered  by  the  memory ;  no  more  is  the  other. 
For  of  things  like  must  be  like  judgment  given.  In  the 
one  remained  very  flesh,  the  lamb ;  in  the  other,  very  bread 
and  wine.  In  the  one  the  judgment  of  senses  was  not 
reprehended ;  no  more  ought  it  to  be  in  the  other.  The 
effect  of  the  one  sacrament,  scilicet  pesah,  was  only  received 
by  faith,  and  not  by  hand  delivered  into  the  mouth  of  the 
receiver ;  so  is  the  other.  The  one  had  his  promises,  and 
proper  ceremonies,  how  it  should  be  used,  by  the  word  of  God, 
and  no  man  to  change  the  use  thereof;  so  ought  the  other. 
For  the  gospel  is  as  sufficient  to  teach  us  all  things,  as  the 
law  was  unto  the  Jews :  and  a  better  and  more  holy  minister 
is  Christ  of  our  church,  than  Moses  of  the  Jews'  church. 

The  false  interpretation  of  the  Jews  corrupted  the 
judgment  of  our  fathers,  as  ye  may  see  by  the  scripture 
and  vehement  preachings  of  the  prophets :  so  hath  the  de- 
crees of  bishops  corrupted  the  judgment  of  the  world  in 
our  time,  as  ye  may  see,  when  ye  confer  their  doctrine 
unto  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles.  The  mahce  of  man 
could  not  utterly  destroy  the  truth  in  our  fathers'  time; 


BISHOP  OF  WINCHESTEr"'s  BOOK. 


201 


no  more  shall  it  do  in  our  time.    Christ  hath  prayed  for 

his  church,  and  his  prayer  is  heard.   John  Xvii.     It  shall  John  xvii. 

be  upon  the  earth  till  he  come  to  judgment,  Matt,  ult.,  Matt.xxviii. 

though  always  afflicted  and  persecuted  by  such  as  contemn 

both  God  and  his  word.    But  it  shall  suffice  the  servant 

to  be  as  his  Master  was:  we  read  how  he  entered  with 

many  afflictions;  so  must  every  man  that  will  be  saved. 

Heb.  xi.,  Rom.  viii.    The  church  of  Christ  may  well  be  Heb.  xi. 

compared  unto  Daniel  sitting  among  the  lions,  destitute      '  ' ' 

of  all  human  aid  and  defence.    DeHver  it  out  of  the 

cave,  yet  shall  it  wander  upon  the  earth  as  a  contemptible 

thing,  of  no  estimation,  not  knowing  where  to  rest  her  head. 

Patience  must  suffer  this  opprobry  and  abjection ;  and 

when  she  cannot  be  received,  as  she  is  worthy,  into  the 

palace  of  the  rich,  she  must  be  content  to  lodge  in  the 

stable  with  Christ  among  the  brute  beasts.    Yet  God  many 

times  doth  resuscitate  of  his  great  mercy  divers  princes 

and  godly-minded  kings,  for  the  defence  of  the  church,  as 

he  did  Cyrus  and  Constantinus,  with  many  other.    And  in 

my  days  it  pleased  God  to  move  the  heart  of  the  most  noble 

and  victorious  prince  Henry  VIII.,  of  a  blessed  memory, 

to  deliver  his  subjects  from  the  tyranny  of  the  wicked 

antichrist,  the  bishop  of  Rome,  with  many  other  godly  and 

divine  acts,  which  brought  the  light  of  God's  word  into 

many  hearts ;  beseeching  the  eternal  and  living  God,  that 

this  our  most  gracious  and  virtuous  sovereign  lord,  king 

Edward,  his  successor,  may  godly  perform  the  thing  that 

is  yet  to  be  desired,  and  leave  no  more  doctrine  in  the 

church  of  England,  nor  other  book  to  instruct  his  subjects 

withal,  than  the  most  godly  young  prince  Josijahu^  left  in 

the  land  of  Juda  and  Hierusalem.    His  most  noble  acts 

be  wroten  4  Reer.  xxiii.    He  removed  all  false  doctrine  and  2  Kings 

idolatry  out  of  the  church,  and  restored  the  book  of  the 

law  into  the  temple,   bound  himself  and  all  his  subjects 

to  honour  and  obey  God  only,  as  that  book  taught. 

Manasses,  for  the  time  of  many  years,  conspired  nothing 
but  the  abolition  and  destruction  of  God's  word,  killed  the 
prophets  of  God,  and  many  other  godly  persons.  In  that 
time  of  persecution  some  good  man  hid  in  the  temple  an 
exemplar  of  God's  law,  which  by  divine  operation  was  found 
[}  Josijahu  :  Josiah.    So  p.  204,  Hilkijahu  :  Hilkiali.] 


202 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


in  the  reign  of  Josijahu.  A  good  act  of  him  that  hid  the 
book,  and  a  godly  act  of  the  king  to  bind  his  subjects  unto 
that  book.  He  that  had  sought  all  the  churches  in  England 
before  sixteen  years,  should  not  have  found  one  bible,  but 
in  every  church  such  abomination  and  idolatry  as  the  like 
was  not  sith  the  time  of  Josijahu;  every  where  idols,  with 
all  abomination.  And  as  I  perceive  by  a  friend's  letter  of 
mine  of  late,  in  a  certain  church  in  England  was  an  inqui- 
sition made  for  the  bible  by  the  king's  majesty's  officers, 
that  instead  of  the  bible  found  the  left  arm  of  one  of  those 
Charterhouse  monks,  that  died  in  the  defence  of  the  bishop 
of  E,ome\  reverently  hid  in  the  high  altar  of  the  church, 
with  a  writing  containing  the  day  and  cause  of  his  death : 
doubtless  a  very  sacrament  and  open  sign  that  they  be 
hypocrites  and  dissemblers,  and  not  persuaded  of  the  truth 
in  their  hearts.  And  I  trust  to  hear  that  the  king's  majesty 
never  put  his  officers  to  great  pain  to  bring  them  to  Tyburn, 
but  put  them  to  death  in  the  church,  upon  the  same  altar 
wherein  this  relic  was  hid,  and  burnt  there  the  bones  of  the 
traitorous  idolaters,  with  the  relic,  as  Josijahu  did  all  the 

2  Kings  false  priests,  4  Reg.  xxiii.  And  the  doing  thereof  should 
not  have  suspended  the  church  at  all,  but  have  been  a  better 
blessing  thereof,  than  all  the  blessings  of  the  bishops  of  the 
world :  for  God  loveth  those  that  be  zealous  for  his  glory. 

But  what  the  cause  should  be  now,  that  the  little  idok 
be  cast  out  of  the  church,  though  the  mother  of  them  all  be 
there  yet,  and  yet  people  be  idolaters,  it  is  easy  to  be  per- 
ceived,— the  want  of  the  word  of  God  diligently  preached, 

2  Chron.  Read  the  33rd  chapter  of  the  second  book  of  Paralip.,  where 
as  the  good  king  Manasses,  after  his  captivity  in  Babylon, 
was  returned  from  his  wicked  life,  and  restored  unto  his 
kingdom,  with  great  diligence  he  destroyed  such  idolatry 
as  before  he  stablished  in  his  kingdom,  overthrew  all  the 
altars  of  idols  with  great  diligence.  Howbeit,  in  the  fifty- 
fifth  year  of  his  reign,  he  departed  out  of  his  mortal  fife, 

Q  This  appears  to  refer  to  the  Carthusians,  who  were  put  to  death 
for  denying  the  PCing's  supremacy.  In  Hall's  Chronicle  (27th  year 
of  Henry  VIII.)  it  is  recorded,  "  The  19th  day  of  June,  1538,  was 
three  monks  of  the  Charter-house  hanged,  drawn  and  quartered  at 
Tyborne,  and  their  quarters  set  up  about  London  for  denying  the  King 
to  be  supreme  head  of  the  church.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


203 


before  he  could  conveniently  restore  the  book  of  the  law 
and  the  true  word  of  God  unto  the  people.  So  that,  notwith- 
standing the  king's  godly  pretence  and  destroying  all  idols, 
Populm  immolahat  in  excelso  Domino  Deo  mo'',  2  Paralip.  2Chron. 
xxxiii.  A  manifest  argument  that  it  sufficeth  not  to  remove 
the  occasion  of  ill,  but  there  must  be  given  occasion  of  good. 
When  idols  be  cast  out  of  the  church,  the  word  of  God  solely 
and  only  must  be  brought  into  the  church,  and  so  preached 
unto  the  people,  that  their  false-conceived  opinion  may  be 
taken  out  of  their  hearts,  and  taught  to  abhor  idolatry  by 
knowledge;  or  else  will  they  return  again  to  their  super- 
stition, as  many  times  as  they  have  occasion.  Give  them  the 
true  word,  and  such  as  can  preach  it  truly  unto  them ;  then 
will  they  swear  in  their  conscience  never  to  serve  other  than 
the  living  God  of  heaven,  as  ye  may  see,  4  Reg.  xxiii,,  by  2 Kings 
king  Josijahu  and  his  subjects :  8tans  rex  juxta  columnam 
percussit  fcedus  coram  Domino,  quod  ambularent  post  Dominum, 
et  ohsermrent  prcecepta  ejus,  et  testimonia  ejus  atque  statuta 
ejus  toto  corde  atque  tota  anima,  et  exequerentur  verba  foederis 
hujus  quoB  scripta  erant  in  libro  illo.  Stabatque  cunctm 
populus  consentiens  foederi  illi^.  When  they  were  persuaded 
by  the  word  of  God  that  idolatry  was  naught,  it  was  no  need 
to  bid  them  beware  of  idolatry.  In  the  time  of  Manasses, 
grandfather  unto  this  virtuous  king  Josijahu,  it  was  no 
marvel  though  the  people  left  not  their  idolatry,  because 
the  king,  being  prevented  by  death,  could  not,  with  the  taking 
away  of  the  vice,  plant  virtue,  as  he  would  have  done  doubt- 
less. But  the  merciful  Lord  vouchsafed  to  perform  this 
old  king's  godly  intention  by  the  young,  virtuous,  and  holy 
servant  of  God  that  was  crowned  king  in  the  eighth  year 
of  his  age ;  whose  example  I  doubt  not  but  that  our  most 
gracious  king  will  follow,  having  so  godly  a  governor  and 
virtuous  councillors,  whose  eyes  cannot  be  dared*  with  these 

P  The  people  did  sacrifice  still  in  the  high  places^  yet  unto  the  Lord 
their  God  only.    2  Chron.  xxxiii.  17.] 

P  And  the  king  stood  hy  a  pillar,  and  made  a  covenant  before  the 
Lord  to  walk  after  the  Lord,  and  to  keep  his  commandments,  and  his 
testimonies,  and  his  statutes,  with  all  their  heart,  and  all  their  soul, 
to  perform  the  words  of  this  covenant  that  were  written  in  this  book : 
and  all  the  people  stood  to  the  covenant.    2  Kings  xxiii.  3.] 

[*  dared:  dazzled.] 


204 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


manifest  and  open  abominations,  to  have  a  god  of  bread, 
or  the  holy  and  most  blessed  supper  of  the  Lord's  death 
thus  abused.  There  is  one  notable  thing  to  be  marked  in 
this  young  king  Josijahu,  when  that  Hilkijahu  the  high 
priest  delivered  unto  the  king's  secretary,  Saphan,  the  book 
of  the  law,  that  he  had  found  in  the  temple,  and  Saphan 
read  the  contents  of  the  book  before  the  king ;  moved  with 
a  wonderful  sorrow  and  heaviness  of  heart,  for  woe  rent  his 
clothes,  and  said  unto  those  that  were  present,  "  Go,  pray 
ye  to  the  Lord  for  me,  for  the  people,  and  for  Juda ;  for 
great  is  the  fury  and  anger  of  the  Lord  against  us,  because 
our  fathers  heard  not  the  words  of  this  book,  and  lived  not 
thereafter ;"  declaring  by  these  words  that  all  the  captivities, 
misery,  and  trouble  that  his  predecessors  sustained,  was  for 
the  contempt  and  neglecting  of  God's  word,  the  observation 
whereof  is  the  preservation  of  all  public  and  common  wealths, 
the  violation  of  it  to  be  the  subversion  and  destruction  of  the 
common  wealth,  as  it  may  be  seen  by  those  two  kings,  Achas 
2  Kings  xvi.  and  Ezechias.  4  Reg.  xvi.  xviii.  Ezechias  was  fortunate 
in  his  reign,  because  he  was  aided  by  God ;  Achas  unfor- 
tunate, because  he  wanted  the  aid  of  God.  To  avoid  God's 
displeasure,  to  instruct  his  subjects  in  the  word  of  the  living 
God,  and  for  the  preservation  of  his  realm,  [he]  called  assem- 
blance  of  all  the  wisest  of  Juda  and  Hierusalem,  came  into 
the  temple,  and  being  present  all  the  citizens  of  Hierusalem, 
the  priests,  prophets,  with  all  other  great  and  small,  read 
himself  unto  the  people  the  contents  of  the  book  that  was 
found  in  the  temple;  which  declareth  that  he  would  assure 
his  subjects  himself  of  God's  true  word,  that  no  false  preacher 
should  afterward  seduce  their  conscience  with  any  false 
doctrine.  So,  I  doubt  not,  but  our  most  virtuous  and  noble 
king  will  deliver  unto  his  subjects  the  only  bible,  to  be 
preached  in  the  congregation,  and  suffer  none  other  man's 
writings  to  be  preached  there,  to  seduce  his  faithful  subjects, 
and  say  with  this  noble  king  Josijahu  unto  all  the  bishops 
and  priests  of  his  most  noble  realm,  Auferte  de  templo  Do- 
mini cmcta  msa  quce  facta  fuerant  pro  Baal,  pro  lucis,  et 
pro  universa  militia  cceli^     Cast  out  all  vessels,  vestments, 

Bring  forth  out  of  the  temple  of  the  Lord  all  the  vessels  that 
were  made-jrfor  Baal,  and  for  the  grove,  and  for  all  the  host  of 
heaven.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


205 


holy- water  bucket,  with  placebo  and  dilexP  for  the  dead, 
with  praying  to  dead  saint,  all  other  such  trinkets  as  hath 
blasphemed  the  name  of  thy  God;  and  use  the  testament 
and  such  sacraments  there  prescribed,  and  as  they  be  there 
prescribed  by  the  word.  0  how  great  shall  the  king's  majesty 
and  the  counciPs  reward  be  for  their  thus  doing !  They  shall 
triumph  for  ever  with  God  in  such  joys  as  never  can  be 
expressed  with  tongue  or  pen,  without  end  in  heaven,  with 
David,  Ezechias,  and  Josijahu. 

The  true  preaching  of  God's  word  hath  been  so  long 
out  of  use,  that  it  shall  be  very  difficult  to  restore  it  again, 
except  men  know  the  manner  of  speech  used  in  the  scripture. 
What  hath  brought  this  blindness  and  idolatry  into  the 
church  but  ignorancy?  When  the  bible  and  true  preachers 
thereof  be  restored  into  the  church,  God  shall  restore  like- 
wise such  light  as  shall  discern  every  thing  aright ;  what 
God  is,  what  a  sacrament  is,  what  saint  is,  and  what  honour 
is  to  be  given  unto  them  :  where  now  is  such  confusion  as 
the  one  thing  confoundeth  the  other,  praying  unto  saints 
as  well  as  to  God ;  attributing  unto  the  sacraments  and 
external  signs  that,  that  only  should  be  attributed  unto  the 
promise  of  God  ratified  by  the  signs.  Though  the  sacra- 
ments godly  used  be  holy  and  godly  things,  yet  be  they 
neither  God,  nor  God's  promises;  which  thing  men  should 
use  as  confirmations  of  God's  promises,  and  give  only  the 
honour  unto  God  for  the  graces  that  they  confirm,  as  they  do 
that  inherit  their  father's  right  and  possession,  useth  to  keep 
well  their  evidence  and  writings  left  unto  them  for  the  confir- 
mation of  their  land ;  yet  doth  they  neither  honour  the 
wax  printed,  annexed  with  the  writings,  as  though  it  were 
their  natural  fathers,  nor  attribute  the  gift  and  donation 
of  the  land  unto  the  writing  and  seal,  but  unto  the  giver 
of  the  land,  that  confirmed  the  donation  or  purchase  of  the 
land  with  the  seal.  The  preaching  of  God's  word  is  of 
all  things  in  this  world  most  necessary  for  the  people,  and 
Paul  calleth  the  gospel  "  the  virtue  of  God  to  the  salvation 
of  all  that  believe,"  Rom.  i.  Yet  is  the  word  of  God  of  Rom.  i. 
no  such  efficacy.  For  the  words  can  do  nothing  but  sig- 
nify and  confirm  the  conscience  of  him  that  believed.  And 
when  I  say,  the  word  of  God  "is  the  power  of  God  unto 
[2  See  Rituale  Romanum,  Officium  defunctorum.] 


206 


ANSWER   TO  THte 


the  salvation "  of  those  that  believe,  true  it  is,  when  it  is 
preached,  understood  and  followed.  Hoc  est  mens  et  medulla 
verU^ !  This  is  taught  daily  in  our  Pater-mster,  when  we 
say,  Smctificetur  nomen  iuumK  Give  grace,  that  the  know- 
ledge of  thy  name  may  be  preached  in  the  whole  world. 
Then  folio weth  the  second  petition,  AdAseniat  regnum  tuwm^ ; 
the  which  speaketh  of  nothing  but  of  the  effect  of  the  first 
petition.  Lord,  when  thou  hast  dispersed  the  voice  of  thy 
gospel  into  the  world,  so  govern  us  with  thy  holy  Spirit, 
that  we  may  believe  and  receive  the  gospel.  Here  see  we. 
Quod  Spiritus  samtus  operatur  salutem  mediante  verho,  quod 
est  ipsa  mem,  sententia,  et  voluntas  Dei ;  quam  sententiam 
divince  mlmntatis  tunc  capit  humanum  pectus,  quando  trahitur 
Artsxui.  ^  Patre*.  As  ye  may  read.  Acts  xiii.  xvi.  Johnvi-  Though 
johnvi.  it  please  God  to  send  his  holy  Spirit  into  our  hearts  by 
this  means,  yet  is  not  the  word  the  grace  given,  nor  the 
Holy  Ghost  that  giveth  it.  Let  us  reverently  use  the  means, 
and  honour  the  giver  of  the  grace  only.  Learn,  good 
reader,  to  know  God  from  his  sacraments,  that  thou  make 
not  of  honey  gall,  and  of  a  profitable  medicine,  ordained 
for  thy  health,  a  necessary  poison  to  thy  destruction. 

Remember  the  words  of  Epiphanius,  Lib.  in.  contra  Hoeres. 
Tom.  II.  There  were  two  sorts  of  people;  the  one,  as  he 
writeth,  contemned  the  blessed  virgin  too  much,  the  other 
extolled  her  too  much.  JEquale  est  enim  in  utrisque  his  sectis 
detrimentum,  quum  ilU  quidem  vilipendant  sanctam  mrginem, 
hi  mro  rursm  ultra  decorum  glorificent^.  Mercer  a  sanctum  eraf 
corpus  Mariw,  non  tamen  Beus^.    Mark  well  how  he  taketh 

\}  This  is  the  mind  and  marrow  of  the  word.] 
P  Hallowed  be  thy  name.]  P  Thy  kingdom  come.] 

That  the  Holy  Ghost  worketh  salvation  by  the  instrumentality 
of  the  word,  which  is  the  very  mind,  purpose,  and  will  of  God ;  which 
purpose  of  the  Divine  will  the  heart  of  man  then  receiveth,  when  it 
is  drawn  by  the  Father.] 

[°  For  the  evil  is  the  same  in  each  of  these  sects,  when  the  one  de- 
spise the  holy  virgin,  and  the  other  on  the  contrary  too  highly  honour  her. 
"lo-t;  yap  en  aju^orepatf  ravTais  rais  alpeaeaiv  j;  ^Xa/S?;'  t&v  fxev  Korev- 
Te\i^6vra>v  rffv  dylav  napdevov,  tS)V  8e  ttoKlv  VTrep  to  heov  bo^a^ovrav. 
Epiphanii  Opera,  Colonise,  1682,  Tom.  i.  Adv.  Haer.  Lib.  iii.  Tom.  ii. 
p.  1058.] 

P  Truly  the  body  of  Mary  was  holy,  but  she  was  not  God. 
Nai  iir)V  ayiov  ffv  to  amixa  Trjs  Mapias'  ov  fi^v  Qeos.  Epiphanii  Opera, 
Tom.  I.  Adv.  Heer.  Lib.  iii.  Tom.  ii.  p.  1061.] 


BISHOP    OF  ■WINCHESTER''s  BOOK. 


207 


away  from  the  blessed  virgin  such  honour  as  she  should  not 
have,  and  yet  giveth  her  due  reverence.  Revera,  inquit, 
virgo  erat  et  Jiomrata,  sed  mn  ad  adorationem  nobis  data; 
sed  ipsa  adorans  eum,  qui  ex  ipsa  earm  gmitm  est,  de  ccelis 
vera  ex  sinibus  Patris  accessit^  Again :  Sit  in  honore  Maria. 
Pater,  FiUus,  et  Spirifus  Sanctus  adoretur.  Mariam  nemo 
adoret,  non  dico  mulierem,  imo  neque  virum.  Beo  debetur 
hoc  mysteriwn^ .  The  saints  are  to  be  remembered,  to  fol- 
low their  humility  and  patience,  to  preach  the  word  of 
God  as  they  did,  to  die  from  doing  of  ill  as  they  did,  to 
contemn  the  world  as  they  did.  They  are  not  to  be  prayed 
unto,  nor  to  be  as  God.  The  memory  of  saints  is  good, 
if  it  be  well  used.  The  right  honour  of  saints  is,  to  fol- 
low God  by  their  example,  as  few  men  doth.  God  amend 
it !  The  thing  they  should  do  they  leave  undone,  and 
that  they  do  is  forbidden  them  by  the  scripture.  When 
they  hear  of  the  cruel  martyrdom  of  any  saint,  they  be 
moved  with  so  great  pity,  they  put  the  finger  in  the  eye 
and  weep,  because  the  saint  suffered  so  cruel  pains  for  the 
defence  of  Christ's  religion,  and  would  please  this  blessed 
martyr  with  Pater-noster  and  Ave-Maria,  that  he  should 
pray  with  him,  and  for  him,  as  the  Bishops'  book  in  England 
teacheth,  unto  God.  And  doubtless  the  saint  prayeth  for 
him,  (if  at  least  way  he  know  in  heaven  what  is  done  upon 
the  earth,)  and  his  prayer  is  this :  Usquequo,  Bomine,  qui 
es  sanctus  et  mrax,  non  judicas  et  vindicas  sanguinem  nos- 
trum de  his  qui  habitant  in  terra?  Apocal.  vi.  "Most  holy  Rev.  vi. 
and  true  God,  when  wilt  thou  revenge  our  blood  upon 

[]  Truly  (saith  he)  the  virgin  also  was  had  in  honour,  but  not  given 
to  us  to  be  adored,  but  herself  adoring  him  who  was  bom  of  her  after 
the  flesh,  but  came  down  out  of  heaven  from  the  bosom  of  his  Father. 
Nai  brj  TrapOivos  rjv  ^  Hap6ivos,  Kcu  TeTiiJ.r]i/,€Vr)i  dXV  ov/c  tls  Trpoa-Kvvrjcriv 
rifiiv  do6fi(Ta,  aXXa  irpocrKVvova-a  rov  e$  avTrjs  crapiu  yeyevrjp,evov,  djro 
ovpavav  be  enc  Kokivaiv  irarpaav  Trapayevofxevov.  Epiphami  Opera,  Tom.  I. 
Adv.  Hser.  Lib.  iii.  Tom.  ii.  p.  1061.] 

P  Let  Mary  be  honoured ;  let  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  be 
adored.  Let  no  one  adore  Mary.  I  say  not,  [let  him  adore]  no  woman 
merely,  but  no  man  also.  To  God  alone  this  sacred  service  is  due. 
'Ev  Tiiirj  ea-Tco  Mapia,  6  be  IlaTrip,  Koi  Y'los,  Koi  "Aywv  Uvevfia  irpoiTKv- 
veicrBw.  rrjv  Map'iav  p.r)be\s  Trpoa-KweiTW,  ov  Xeyto  yvvaitd,  dXX'  ovbe  avbpi. 
Gem  TTpoa-TtTaKTai  to  fiva-rqpiov.  Epiphanii  Opera,  Tom.  I.  Adv.  Haer. 
Lib.  m.  Tom.  ii.  p.  1065.] 


208 


ANSWER   TO  THB 


them  that  be  in  the  earth  V  Who  shed  their  blood,  but 
such  idolaters  as  he  that  saith  God's  prayer  unto  saints  ? 
This  martyr  helpeth  his  client  well  to  God,  and  saith,  '  Lord, 
when  wilt  thou  kill,  and  destroy  all  these  idolaters  that 
blaspheme  thy  name  I '  Leave  praying  unto  them,  and  pray 
to  God,  to  follow  them  in  godly  and  honest  life.  Apply 
the  words  of  Epiphanius  unto  every  thing  used  in  the 
church,  and  know  what  honour  thou  mayest  give  unto  it. 
Though  the  sacraments  be  holy  things,  yet  not  to  be  ho- 
noured for  God,  nor  for  the  thing  they  represent,  though  the 
scripture  use  to  call  the  sacrament  and  sign  the  thing  repre- 
sented by  the  sign.  As  circumcision  was  an  undersign  and 
cutting  away  of  the  fore-flesh ;  the  alliance  signified  by  the 
sign  was  the  knot  and  chain  wherewithal  God  and  Abraam 
was  coupled  together  as  friends ;  the  one  to  be  as  master, 
the  other  as  servant.  The  which  conjunction  and  knot  of 
friendship  only  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  consenting  will  of 
Abraam  knit,  and  concluded  that  Abraam  should  be  heir 
of  eternal  life,  before  any  flesh  was  circumcised.  And  thus 
is  it  with  all  sacraments,  for  they  do  nothing  but  signify  and 
confirm  the  thing  that  they  represent;  baptism,  the  absolution 

Matt.  iii.  of  sin.  Matt.  iii. ;  the  sacrament  of  Chrisfs  body,  Chrisfs  body. 
Though  they  be  good,  necessary,  and  commendable  to  be 
used  of  every  Christian,  yet  not  to  be  honoured  for  the  thing 
that  they  represent,  as  these  men  teach  that  would  alter 
bread  into  the  body,  and  wine  into  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Every  thing  is  good  when  it  is  well  used.    The  apple  that 

Gen.  iii.  Eve  saw  in  paradise,  Gen.  iii.  was  good ;  howbeit  not  to  be 
eaten.  She  sought  here  wealth,  and  found  here  woe ;  as 
we  most  woeful  wretches  right  well  perceive.  Black  soap 
is  good,  but  not  to  be  laid  unto  a  man''s  eye.  The  holy 
sacrament  of  Chrisfs  body  is  good,  but  not  to  be  honoured 
for  Christ;  it  is  good  to  be  received  of  the  congregation, 
and  not  to  be  massed  withal.  We  must  use  every  thing  to 
the  same  end  that  God  made  it  for ;  or  else  the  thing  is 
not  used,  but  abused.  Christ  saw  before,  that  false  preachers 
would  bring  this  idolatry  into  the  church,  to  honour  a  sacra- 
ment for  God ;  and  therefore,  to  prevent  the  ill,  he  said.  Hoc 
facite  ad  memoriam  mei,  "  Do  it  in  the  memory  of  me."  A 
gracious  caveat  and  notable  caution,  were  it  not  contemned  ! 
"  Do  it  in  the  memory  of  me."     He  saw  that  people 


BISHOP   OF    WJNCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


2'09 


would  offer  it  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  dead  and  the  live,  and 
make  it  equal  with  his  death ;  therefore  gave  us  his  word, 
that  sheweth  us  it  is  but  a  memory  of  his  death.  Repeat 
the  words,  and  mark  them :  Hoc  facite  ad  memoriam  mei, 
"  Do  it  in  the  memory  of  me."  Two  things  in  this  word 
memoria  is  to  be  marked  ;  the  one  present,  and  the  other 
absent.  The  thing  present  is  all  the  promises  of  God,  the 
which  the  death  of  Christ  hath  merited ;  to  say,  the  fruit 
of  his  blessed  passion  received  by  faith  into  the  soul  that  is 
aright  instructed  what  Christ  hath  done  for  us.  For  there 
is  no  faith  where  as  is  no  knowledge.  Joan.  xvii.  Hwc  est  John  xvii. 
vita  wterna,  te  msse,  et  eum  quern  misisti  Jesum  Christum^ 
To  obtain  the  thing  present  in  this  holy  supper,  is  to  have 
Christ  and  all  his  merits  delivered  unto  the  soul  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  through  faith,  which  eateth  neither  flesh 
neither  blood  corporally,  but  feedeth  upon  the  causes  why 
and  wherefore  the  body  of  Christ  should  die,  and  his  blood 
to  be  shed,  until  such  time  as  the  Spirit  of  God  warranteth 
and  assureth  the  conscience  where  faith  is;  that  as  Christ 
died  for  sin,  so  because  faith  believeth  and  prayeth  for 
remission  of  sin,  the  conscience  shall  not  be  condemned  for 
sin.  In  this  commemoration  and  remembrance  of  Christ's 
death  by  faith  is  apprehended  not  only  a  true  knowledge 
and  understanding  of  the  mystery  of  Christ's  death,  but 
also  the  promise  of  life,  remission  of  sin,  and  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  necessarily  followeth  the  remission  of 
sin.  Of  these  two  things,  the  one  is  the  light  to  judge  all 
things  aright,  the  other  giveth  strength  to  do  all  things 
aright ;  so  that  this  faith  delivereth  from  desperation 
and  all  other  ill :  Adversm  omnia  nos  erigat,  et  doceat  mun- 
dum  sincere :  itaque  ut  memoratas  rei  memoriam  fides  sequitur, 
sic  ejus  rei  notitia  memoriam  prcecedit^.  The  thing  present 
in  this  sacrament  is  Christ  himself,  spiritually ;  the  thing 
absent  is  Christ's  body,  corporally.  Knowledge  of  the  scrip- 
ture assureth  me  of  the  fact  and  death  of  Christ  past,  and 

P  This  is  life  eternal  that  they  might  know  thee  and  Jesus  Christ 

whom  thou  hast  sent.   John  xvii.  3.] 

P  It  lifteth  us  up  against  all  things,  and  teacheth  us  to  overcome 
the  world.  Therefore  as  faith  followeth  the  memory  of  the  thing  com- 
memorated, so  the  knowledge  of  that  thing  precedeth  the  memory 
thereof.] 

14 

[hoopek.] 


210 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


no  more  present,  but  now  is  in  heaven  with  the  Father 
omnipotent.  The  Spirit  of  God  by  faith  maketh  present 
the  fact  past,  and  contendeth  in  judgment  with  God's  ire 
upon  the  merits  of  Christ.  And  as  always  in  man's  nature 
is  sin  present,  so  is  there  always  a  remedy  against  sin 
present,  the  which  we  apply  unto  ourselves  by  faith,  and 
desire  mercy  for  Christ's  sake.  The  punishment  that  man 
hath  deserved,  the  Son  of  God,  being  made  man,  hath  suf- 
fered for ;  and  this  sacrament  is  a  memory  thereof,  and  not 
the  thing  itself ;  though  it  be  the  manner  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
in  the  scripture,  to  call  the  signs  by  the  name  of  the  thing 
signified  by  the  sign.  If  we  will  needs  add  any  words  to 
make  the  matter  more  plain,  let  us  not  abhor  from  the  old 
terms,  Panis  est  corpus  Christi  symbolice,  ml  sacramentaliter ' ; 
and  then  by  God's  grace  we  shall  be  out  of  danger  of  all 
•idolatry,  and  likewise  keep  the  sacraments  in  their  due  honour 
and  reverence.  As  for  these  new  terms,  transubstantiation, 
and  then  essentialiter,  substantialiter,  naturaliter,  corporaliter, 
mirahiliter,  invisibiliter,  ineffabiliter,  in  pane,  cum  pane,  sub 
speciebus  panis  et  mni  ^,  these  be  terms  that  the  old  church 
knew  not  of.  They  have  brought  into  the  church  of  Christ 
great  darkness,  and  too  much  caused  the  signs  of  the  sacra- 
ments to  be  esteemed.  They  shall  not  be  contemned  nothing 
the  rather,  though  their  right  use  and  nature  be  known : 
God  forbid  that  any  christian  man  should  speak  against 
them  !  But  it  is  the  office  of  every  man  to  know  the  man- 
ner of  speech  in  the  scripture,  and  to  judge  according  unto 
the  meaning  of  the  words,  and  not  as  they  sound  only;  for 
then  should  we  make  divers  Gods,  where  as  is^  but  one. 
David,  Psalm  xxiv.,  calleth  the  ark  the  Lord  of  glory,  which 
Psai.  xxiv.  was  but  a  sacrament  of  God's  presence :  TolUte,  0  portce, 
capita  vestra ;  attoUimini,  fores  sempiternw,  et  ingredietur  rex 
ille  gloriosus.  Qui  est  ille  rex,  ille  gloriosus  ?  Dominus  fortis, 
et  heros ;  Dominus  mrtute  bellica  insignis^.    Likewise,  Psalm 

[}  The  bread  is  the  body  of  Christ  symbolically  or  sacramentally.] 
Essentially,  substantially,  naturally,  corporeally,  miraculously, 
invisibly,  ineffably,  in  the  bread,  with  the  bread,  under  the  forms  of 
bread  and  wine.    In  allusion  to  the  terms  used  by  the  Schoolmen.] 

P  Old  edition, 

[*  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates :  and  be  ye  lift  up  ye  everlasting 
doors;  and  the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in.  Who  is  this  King  of 
glory?    The  Loi'd  strong  and  mighty,  the  Lord  miglity  in  liattle.] 


BISHOP   OP  WINCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


211 


Ixviii.,  lakum  Elohim',  inquit,  Simul  atque  eccsurgit  Deus,  Psai.  ixviii. 
inimici  ejus  disperguntur,  et  fugiunt  a  conspectu  ejus,  qui 
ipsum  odio  halent^.  The  scripture  is  full  of  such  manner  of 
speech ;  yet  was  not  the  ark  God,  nor  turned  into  God,  but 
the  substance  remained  always,  and  not  doubted  thereof. 
Great  marvel  is  that  christian  men  knoweth  not  the  manner 
of  speech  concerning  a  sacrament,  as  well  as  the  J ews  ;  they 
had  sacraments  as  well  as  we,  and  yet  never  brawled  about 
them  as  we  do.  And  though  many  superstitions  happened 
in  those  days,  and  men  put  their  whole  confidence  in  the 
external  sacraments ;  yet  made  they  not  their  sacraments 
their  God,  as  the  Christians  do.  They  failed  of  the  end, 
howbeit  not  in  the  matter  and  signs. 

And  to  declare  the  matter  openly,  what  we  be  bound  to 
believe  of  God's  testament,  what  it  is,  I  would  that  the 
Christian  should  understand,  that  it  was  neither  circumcision 
nor  pesah  in  the  old  law,  nor  baptism  nor  the  sacrament  of 
Chrisfs  body  in  the  new  law;  no,  neither  the  death  nor  blood- 
shedding  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  itself,  that  is  the  testa- 
ment or  legacy  that  God  hath  bequest  unto  the  faithfuls, 
whereof  Hieremy  speaketh,  capit.  xxxi.  The  legacy  and  testa-  Jer.  xxxi. 
ment  is  remission  of  sin  and  life  eternal,  which  is  promised  us 
for  the  merits  of  Christ.  And  this  legacy  and  bequest  is 
made  sure,  sealed  and  confirmed  by  the  death  of  Christ,  which 
the  Father  of  heaven  accepteth  as  a  sufficient  price  for  the 
purchase  of  eternal  life.  And  all  the  sacrament[s]  that  be,  or 
in  time  past  hath  been,  are  none  other  thing  than  testimonies 
of  this  good-will  and  favour  of  God  towards  us,  appointed 
in  the  church  to  lead  our  faith  unto  Christ,  the  only  sacrifice 
for  sin,  whose  merits  extendeth  not  only  unto  us  after  his 
passion :  from  the  time  that  he  was  promised  unto  man  in 
the  beginning  of  the  world.  Gen.  iii.,  as  many  as  believed  Gen.  ui. 
in  him  were  saved,  as  well  before  as  after  his  passion ;  for 
he  was  the  Mediator  between  God  and  man  from  the  be- 
ginning ;  Jesus  Christus,  heri,  et  hodie,  et  in  scecula/,  Heb.  Heb.  xiii. 
xiii.    Abraam  mdit  diem  mmm,  et  gavisus  est^,  John  viii.  joh.  viii. 

P  wrhi^  Dip"'] 

P  Let  God  arise,  let  his  enemies  be  scattered,  let  them  also  that 
hate  him  flee  before  him.    Psal.  Ixviii.  1.] 

[J  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever.] 
Abraham. .  saw  mv  day. ..and  was  glad.] 

14—2 


212 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Patres  eundem  cibum  et  eandem  escam  comederunt  et  hiberunt^, 
1  Cor.  X.  I  Qor.  X,  Abraam,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  were  justified  by  the 
faith  they  had  in  Christ's  merits  to  come ;  and  were  signs 
of  this  only  sacrifice  to  come.  Joan.  Chrysost.^  Homilia  55 
in  Joan,  et  Irenseus  contra  Hcereses^,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  13,  doth 
John  viii.  interpretate  these  words,  diem  mewn,  John  viii.  for  the  death 
of  Christ.  St  Augustine*,  tract,  in  Joan.  43,  doth  understand 
by  these  words,  diem  meum,  as  well  the  day  of  Christ's  nati- 
vity as  the  life  eternal.  Ego,  inquit,  non  dubito  patrem 
Abrahamum  totum  vidisse^.  And  that  is  consonant  with 
Luke  xvi.  the  words  of  the  scripture,  Luke  xvi.,  where  as  is  declared 
the  condition  of  such  as  died  in  the  faith  of  Christ  before 
he  suffered,  and  that  they  were  in  joy,  and  did  not,  as  the 
world  now  for  the  most  part  doth,  beheve  that  their  sacra- 
ments were  of  such  virtue  to  save  them.  They  kept  them 
with  reverence,  and  lived  in  the  hope  of  the  promise  that 
they  confirmed,  to  say,  the  death  of  Christ  to  come.  And 
we  believe  in  hope  of  God's  promise  for  the  merits  of  him 
that  hath  died  and  is  passed  out  of  the  world,  as  it  is 
signified  by  our  sacraments  left  unto  us  by  Christ  in  the 
scripture,  sufficiently  there  taught  how'  they  should  be  used, 
and  to  what  end ;  wherewithal  people  that  have  a  good 
opinion  of  Christ  should  be  contented,  and  think  verily  that 
all  the  wisdom  of  the  world  cannot  devise  a  better  way 
how  to  use  the  sacraments,  than  he  hath  there  taught 
us,  and  that  no  man  ever  loved  his  church  as  well  as 
he  that  shed  his  blood  for  the  redemption  thereof.  And 
to  ascertain  us  of  this  love  he  gave  the  testament  and 

[}  Our  Fathers  did  (all)  eat  the  same  (spiritual)  meat,  and  did 

(all)  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink.] 

^  Trjv  ijfji,epav  evravOa  fioi  8oku  \iyeiv  Trjv  Tov  aravpov,  r/v  iv 
Trj  TOV  Kpioxi  T7po(r<f>op5.  Koi  rfi  tov  'laaaK  TrpodieTVTraxre.  Chrysost. 
Op.  Tom.  VIII.  p.  323.    Paris,  1728.] 

\J  Videret  in  spiritu  diem  adventus  Domini  et  passionis  dispositionem 
per  quem,  &c.    Ireneei,  Op.  Oxen.  1702,  p.  283.] 

[*  Totum  hoe  vidit  Abraham.  Nam  quod  ait  'diem  meum,'  incertum 
potest  esse  unde  dixerit ;  utrum  diem  Domini  temporalem,  quo  erat 
venturus  in  came,  an  diem  Domini  qui  nescit  ortum,  nescit  occasum. 
Sed  ego  non  dubito  patrem  Abraham  totum  vidisse.  Aug.  Op.  Basiliae, 
1542.  Tom.  ix.  In  Evang.  Johan.  Tract,  xliii.  co.  323.] 

[°  I  have  no  doubt,  saith  he,  that  the  patriarch  Abraham  saw  the 
whole.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


213 


his  sacraments,  wherewithal  we  might  keep  and  preserve  his 
love,  were  we  so  gracious  to  follow  this  book  and  testament 
only,  and  not  the  dreams  of  men.  For  the  law  of  God  is 
without  fault  and  all  imperfection :  man's  laws  hath  faults, 
and  is  unperfect.  What  should  move  man  to  depart  from 
truth  unto  lies,  from  perfection  unto  imperfection,  from 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  scripture  unto  the  lying  spirit  of 
man?  Nothing  have  they  to  fear  the  simple  man  more 
withal,  than  to  say,  "  If  this  learning  be  true,  our  fathers 
be  damned ;  they  believed  not  so  and  then  rehearse  a 
great  many  of  holy  men's  names,  whose  doctrine  they  repugn, 
for  they  judged  aright  of  sacraments.  Grant,  they  did  not ; 
their  authority  must  give  place  to  the  scriptures :  and  let 
the  christian  reader  rather  condemn  the  fact  of  all  men  that 
abuse  the  sacraments,  rather  than  to  say,  the  order  that 
Christ  hath  ordained  is  not  sufficient.  Hold  not  with  the 
most  part,  but  with  the  better,  and  acknowledge  them  to 
be  of  the  better  part  that  use  the  sacraments  as  the  scrip- 
ture teacheth ;  and  when  they  preach  so  much  of  their 
doctors'  holiness,  demand  whether  Christ  was  holy  or  not. 
And  when  they  say  the  holy  church  thus  teacheth  mass  to 
be  good,  think  whether  Christ  were  of  the  church  or  not : 
and  when  they  would  excuse  their  additions  unto  the  supper 
of  the  Lord  with  their  good  and  holy  intentions,  that  it 
hath  been  so  ordained  by  all  learned  men  that  hath  wroten, 
demand  who  is  better  learned  than  Christ,  or  who  meant 
better  to  the  church  than  he ;  and  if  they  have  more  wit 
to  use  the  ceremony  of  Christ's  supper  than  he,  or  better 
writeth  of  it  than  the  evangelists,  who  writeth  as  clean 
against  their  use  as  light  is  to  darkness,  read  the  scripture 
well  and  see  ;  and  rather  condemn  all  men  of  the  world, 
than  to  grant  that  the  scripture  teacheth  us  not  sufficiently 
the  use  of  sacraments,  and  all  other  articles  of  our  faith. 
Let  the  word  of  God  be  the  lantern  unto  all  thy  life,  and 
confirm  thy  knowledge  thereby,  and  then  art  thou  sure. 

Now  I  will  answer  unto  such  arguments  as  my  lord 
would  stablish  his  opinion  withal.  He  saith,  "  that  it  is 
the  first  and  chief  point  of  sophistry  to  make  every  man 
think  of  himself  further  than  is  indeed  in  him."  These 
words  may  have  diverse  understanding,  and  be  referred  unto 
diverse  ends.     If  any  man  unlearned,  or  meanly  learned, 


214 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


would  say  he  were  as  able  to  interpretate  the  scripture,  to 
shew  the  art  thereof,  open  the  phrase  thereof,  declare  the 
writer's  intent  and  purpose,  and  refer  all  the  sentences  and 
arguments  to  the  same  purpose  that  the  author  meant  them ; 
and  say  he  can  defend  and  fence  the  proposition  that^  the 
prophet  and  evangelist  with  such  other  places  of  the  scripture 
as  may  serve  to  the  purpose,  to  confute  all  the  arguments 
of  his  contrary;  and  say  he  is  able  by  disputation  to  warrant 
both  himself  and  the  matter  he  taketh  in  hand,  whatsoever 
his  contrary  may  object,  as  well  as  a  learned  man  exercised 
of  long  time  in  the  scripture ;  it  were  not  only  the  first 
point  of  sophistry,  but  the  first  and  chief  point  of  folly.  I 
have  heard  but  of  few  men  that  laboureth  with  that  vice ; 
but  the  unlearned  glad  to  learn  of  him  that  is  learned. 
If  my  lord  meant  a  redress  of  such  an  ill,  and  tell  the 
unlearned  that  it  is  not  possible  to  be  as  good  a  divine 
as  Augustine,  as  good  an  orator  as  Demosthenes,  or  as  well 
know  how  to  govern  the  commonwealth  as  Cicero,  my  lord's 
words  were  true.  Howbeit,  they  mean  another  thing;  to 
say,  he  that  is  unlearned  cannot  know  nor  comprehend  the 
true  use  of  the  sacraments  in  Christ's  church,  and  what 
they  be,  as  well  as  the  learned  man,  and  say  it  shall  be 
sufficient  for  them  to  trust  unto  other  men's  judgments. 

This  opinion  of  my  lord's  is  not  true.  As  the  com- 
mon laws  of  every  city  must  be  known  of  every  man  that 
will  be  a  good  citizen,  bo  must  the  common  laws  of  Christ's 
church  be  known  of  every  one  that  will  be  a  good  Christian. 
It  is  not  sufficient  for  a  commonwealth,  though  he  that 
pleadeth  at  the  bar  in  Westminster  Hall  know  there  is  nor 
ought  to  be  in  any  monarchy  more  than  one  king,  and  all 
other  to  be  subjects,  but  that  the  most  unlearned  of  the 
realm  must  know  the  same,  or  else  he  should  be  judged 
for  a  traitor,  to  give  such  honour  as  is  due  only  to  the 
king  unto  another  person  that  is  not  king.  And  is 
not  God  in  the  church  as  well  to  be  known  from  a  saint 
or  sacrament  of  every  christian  man,  as  a  king  in  his 
realm  ?  Yes,  doubtless ;  and  as  he  that  would  make  a 
subject  the  king,  and  so  with  tooth  and  nail  proclaim  him 
to  be  king,   against  the  king's  honour  and  against  all 


P  So  the  old  edition.    Qu.  o/?] 


BISHOP  OF   WINCHESTEe's  BOOK. 


215 


the  laws  of  his  realm,  ignorancy  could  not  excuse  this 
transgressor  from  treason  doubtless ;  no  more  shall  these 
that  proclaim  and  fight  so  sore  for  the  god  of  bread,  which 
is  a  creature  and  no  god,  be  excused  from  idolatry.  The 
king,  of  equity,  is  bound  to  kill  the  body  of  this  traitor ; 
and  God  can  do  no  less  of  his  justice  than  kill  both  body 
and  soul  of  this  idolater,  if  he  repent  not.  And  as  no  man 
is  permitted  to  buy  or  sell,  or  to  make  any  other  contracts 
in  any  realm  for  his  commodity,  except  in  the  doing  thereof 
he  observe  the  law  of  the  land;  no  more  can  no  man  use 
to  bargain  or  contract  with  Grod  for  his  commodity  in 
the  church  of  Christ,  except  he  observe  the  laws  prescribed 
by  God.  As  in  a  commonwealth  all  men  cannot  be  princes 
and  governors,  nor  all  men  learned ;  yet,  forasmuch  as  the 
commonwealth  is  the  society  and  conjunction  of  the  prince 
with  all  his  subjects,  be  they  of  noble  parentage  or  of  base 
lineage,  learned  or  unlearned,  it  is  necessary  that  as  well 
the  lowest  as  the  highest,  the  unlearned  as  the  learned, 
know  how  to  live  like  a  true  subject,  and  not  to  run 
always  unto  a  man  of  law  to  ask  whether  it  be  lawful  to 
give  the  same  honour  unto  the  king's  subject  that  is  due 
only  unto  the  king:  so  the  church  of  Christ  is  not  the 
assemblance  of  princes,  bishops,  and  learned  men  only,  but 
of  all  kind  and  degrees  of  people  in  the  world ;  and  the 
most  inferior  person  of  the  church,  he  that  lacketh  his 
senses,  is  bound  to  know  what  God  and  his  sacraments 
be,  and  the  difference  between  the  one  and  the  other,  as 
well  as  the  best  bishop  of  the  church.  For  as  the  com- 
mon proclamations  of  princes  concerning  faith,  subjection, 
and  obedience,  is  not  given  to  one  sort  of  his  subjects, 
but  unto  all  and  singular  persons  of  his  realm;  so  is  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  concerning  the  articles  of  our  faith  and 
the  use  of  sacraments,  proclaimed  unto  all  the  members  of 
Christ  as  well  as  unto  one.  God  said  not  unto  Moses  and 
Aaron  alone,  Ego  Dominus  Deus,  qui  duooi  te  de  terra 
JEgypti^  et  mn  erunt  tibi  Dii  alieni  coram  facie  mea^. 
Exod.  XX.  He  would  not  Moses  and  Aaron  alone  to  Exod.  xx. 
beware  of  idolatry,  but  all  the  church ;  not  that  they  alone 

P  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have  brought  thee  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  thou  shalt  have  no  other  Gods  before  me.] 


216 


ANSWER    TO  THE 


should  know  the  word  of  God,  but  to  make  all  the  church 
to  know  the  word. 

Concerning  the  sacraments,  every  man  was  bound  to 
know  the  use  of  them  as  well  as  Moses,  and  to  teach 
their  children  to  know  what  a  sacrament  was  and  how  to 

Genf  xvii:  "^6  it,  Exod.  xii.,  Gcn.  xvii.  What !  was  the  command- 
ment of  Christ  unto  his  apostles,  to  teach  the  learned  to 
come  to  heaven  only  ?     No  !    He  said  :  Facite  mihi  dis- 

Mark  xvi.  cipulos  omnes  gentes '  Mark  xvi.  "  He  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  shall  be  saved :  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned.''''  How  can  he  believe  well,  that  knoweth  not 
God  from  a  sacrament,  a  true  body  of  Christ  from  the 
sacrament  of  his  body?  Mark  all  the  sermons  of  the  pro- 
phets and  the  apostles ;  and  they  appertained  unto  all  the 
church,  and  not  unto  one  learned  man  of  the  church. 
What  learning  is  this,  to  say  it  is  the  devil's  sophistry 
that  a  simple  and  unlearned  man  should  not  and  is  not 
bound  to  be  as  certain  and  sure  to  know  God  from  an 
idol,  and  Chrisfs  body  from  a  sacrament  of  his  body,  as 
the  best  bishop  of  the  world  ?  Was  not  Joseph  and  the 
blessed  virgin  as  well  learned,  trow  ye,  in  the  articles  of 
their  faith  as  Anna**  and  Caiaphas?  They  had  been  well 
assured,  in  case  they  had  led  their  faith  after  the  judg- 
ment of  the  holy  church  of  the  Pharisees,  and  not  known 
God  and  his  sacraments  themselves  by  the  scripture. 

But  I  will  put  the  Christian  in  mind  of  the  first  word 
of  his  creed,  which  is.  Credo.  I  say,  "  I  believe  in  God 
which  is  as  much  to  say  as,  it  profiteth  nothing  me  that 
Abraam,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  or  that  the  apostles  with  other  holy 
and  learned  men  believe,  but  I  must  believe  the  promises  of 
God,  and  I  must  live  godly  thereafter.  Now,  poor  wretched 
man  and  comfortless  person,  how  canst  thou  believe  the 
thing  thou  knowest  not?  Thy  conscience  is  a  jakes  for 
every  devilish  bishop''s  decrees ;  and  as  they  change  their 
law,  now  for  avarice,  now  for  fear,  and  now  for  placebo, 
so  thy  faith  changeth  as  inconstant  as  the  wind ;  and  yet 
beareth  thee  in  hand  that  the  mother  and  nest  of  abo- 
mination, their  universal  church,  cannot  lie  ;  when  all  histo- 

\}  Make  disciples  or  Christians  of  all  nations.  Matt,  xxviii.  ]  9.  mar- 
ginal reading.] 

P  Anna :  i.  e.  Annas.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


217 


riee  declareth  that  the  one  bishop  never  stablished  the  other's 
decrees.  Read  Platina,  and  let  those  few  bishops  that  I 
repeat,  give  thee  occasion  to  learn  thy  faith  out  the  law 
of  God,  and  let  their  holy  church  go. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  900,  Stephen  VI.  was  bishop 
of  Rome,  and  for  a  private  hatred  he  had  unto  his  pre- 
decessor and  benefactor,  Formosus,  abrogated  all  the  laws 
and  statutes  that  he  made  in  the  time  of  his  being  bishop ; 
plucked  the  dead  body  out  of  his  sepulchre,  cut  off  two 
fingers  of  his  right  hand,  and  cast  them  into  the  flood  Tiber^. 
After  the  death  of  Stephen  succeeded  Romanus  Primus  \ 
and  after  him  two  other,  Theodorus  Secundus',  and 
Joannes  Decimus''  These  three  disannulled  all  the  de- 
crees of  Stephen,  and  restored  the  acts  and  statutes  of 
Formosus,  Stephanus'  enemy.  A  little  after  was  Leo  the 
Fifth  made  bishop,  and  within  forty  days  of  his  inaugu- 
ration his  very  friend  Christopher  cast  him  into  prison''; 
and  he  occupied  the  see  and  chair  in  Rome  for  the  space 
of  seven  months,  and  then  glad  to  flee  unto  a  monastery 
as  a  banished  man^,  as  Platina  saith.    Then  came  Sergius 

P  Stephanus  VI.  pontifex  creatus  tanto  odio  persecutus  est  For- 
mosi  nomen,  ut  statim  ejus  decreta  abrogaverit ;  res  gestas  resciderit. 

 Refert  Martinus  sciiptor^  Stephanum  tanta  rabie  desaevisse,  ut 

habito  concilio,  corpus  Formosi  e  tumulo  tractum,  pontificali  habitu 
spoliatum,  indutumque  seculari,  sepulturse  laicorum  mandaverit :  ab- 
scissis  tamen  dexterae  ejus  duobus  digitis,  illis  potissimum  quibus  in 
consecratione  sacerdotes  utuntur,  in  Tiberimque  projectis,  &c.  Pla- 
tinae  Pontificum  Vitee.  Paris.  1530.  folio  161.] 

[_*  Romanus :  ubi  pontificatum  iniitj  Stephani  pontificis  decreta  et 
acta  statim  improbat  abrogatque.  Ibid.] 

Theodorus  II.:  pontifex  creatus,  vestigia  seditiosorum  sequitur. 
Nam  et  Formosi  acta  restituit,  et  ejus  sectatores  in  pretio  habuit. 
Ibid.] 

P  Joannes  Decimus:  pontifex  creatus,  Formosi  causam  in  in- 
tegrum statim  restituit.    Ibid,  folio  152.] 

Leo  Quintus:  pontificatum  adeptus,  a  Christophoro,  ejus  familiari, 

dominandi  cupido,  capitur,  et  in  vincula  conjicitur  Cbristophorus 

itaque  sedem  occupat  XL.  Leonis  in  pontificatum  die.  Ibid,  folio 
153.] 

P  Cbristophorus:  pontificatum  malis  artibus  adeptus,  male  amisit. 
Septimo  enim  mense  dignitate,  ac  merito  quidem,  ejectus,  monasticam 
vitam,  unicum  calamitosorum  refugium,  obire  cogitur.  Ibid.] 


218 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Tertius,  who  so  abrogated  the  laws  made  by  Formosus,  that 
such  as  were  made  priests  in  the  time  of  Formosus  were 
compelled  to  receive  orders  again,  and  took  the  dead  body 
of  Formosus  out  of  his  sepulchre,  and  caused  it  to  be  cast 
into  Tiber \  I  leave  John  the  Eleventh^  and  John  the 
Thirteenth.  A  more  wicked  person  never  occupied  that 
Ilome^  It  were  a  whole  book  matter  to  name  them  all 
and  their  detestable  acts.  By  these  men  we  may  see  how 
little  authority  their  decrees  should  have  in  conscience  of 
a  christian  man,  and  cause  every  person  to  seek  the  truth 
only  in  the  scripture,  and  not  at  the  hand  of  any  bishop 
or  bishop's  laws:  for  doubtless  they  have  deceived  them- 
selves and  other  these  many  years.  God  give  them  grace 
to  amend ! 

Account  it  not  a  point  of  sophistry,  good  christian 
reader,  to  know  what  a  sacrament  is  by  the  scripture^:  it 

Sergius  Tertius:  pontificatum  iniens  Formosi  acta  ita  impro- 

bavit,  ut  denuo  ad  sacros  ordines  eos  admittere  necesse  fuerit,  quos 
Formosus  antea  sacerdotali  ordine  dignos  censuerat.  Neque  hanc 
quidem  ignominiam  niortuo  intulisse  contentus,  ejus  cadaver  e  sepul- 
chro  tractum  capitali  supplicio  ac  si  viveret  afficit,  corpusque  ipsum 
in  Tiberim  projicit,  tanquam  sepultura  et  honore  humano  indignum. 
Platinse  Pontificum  Vitse.    Paris.  1530.  folio  154.] 

Joannes  undecimus:  spiritus  militares  niagis  quam  religioni  de- 
ditos  gessit.  Ibid.] 

P  Joannes  XIII. :  homo  sane  ab  adolescentia  omnibus  probris  ac 
turpitudine  contaminatus :  vir  omnium  qui  unquam  ante  se  in  pon- 
tificatu  fuere  perniciosior  et  sceleratior.    Ibid,  folio  160.] 

This  seems  to  be  in  reference  to  what  the  bishop  of  Winchester 
said  in  the  commencement  of  his  book  (see  p.  99).  "The  first  chief 
and  principal  point  of  deceit  and  sophistry  is,  to  make  every  man  think 
of  himself  further  than  is  indeed  in  him,  by  this  persuasion,  that  God 
granteth  true  understanding  and  wisdom  to  every  man  that  would  have 
it,  hath  need  of  it,  and  asketh  it  in  his  name  ;  which  hath  such  an 
evident  truth  in  it,  as  no  man  can  directly  deny  it  and  gainsay  it : 
for  so  God  doth  indeed,  and  yet  not  so  as  the  unlearned  do  take  it, 
and  thinketh  it  to  be  understanded.  This  false  persuasion  of  learning, 
wherewith  the  devil  inveigleth  the  simple,  and  engendereth  in  them 
a  pride  of  cunning  and  understanding  which  they  have  not,  is  the 
foundation  and  root,  whereupon  is  builded  and  groweth  false  doctrine 
in  the  high  mysteries  of  our  religion,  and  specially  in  the  most  blessed 
sacrament  of  the  altar,  wherein  divers  have  of  late  most  perversely 
reasoned  and  unlearnedly  spoken  with  such  presumptuous  pride  and 


BISHOP    OF   W1NCHESTER''s  BOOK. 


219 


is  thy  bounden  duty ;  for  if  thou  err^  with  thy  preacher  in 
the  use  of  sacraments,  thou  shalt  be  an  idolater  with  thy 
preacher,  and  God's  enemy.  Thy  preacher  was  commanded 
to  preach  nothing  unto  thee  but  the  word  of  God,  as 
Christ  taught :  Docete  eos  servare  qucecunque  prcecepi  vobis^. 
Matt,  xxviii.  And  whether  thou  be  learned  or  unlearned,  as  Matt.xxviii. 
thou  lovest  thy  salvation,  see  thou  be  able  to  satisfy  thy- 
self in  a  true  knowledge  of  the  sacraments.  Likewise  be 
able  to  declare  the  same  openly,  apertly,  and  truly  unto 
thy  family  and  household.  Remember  the  commandment 
of  God  unto  all  and  singular  of  the  Israelites :  ^rit  quo- 
qm,  cum  diccerint  ad  vos  Jilii  mstri,  Quis  est  Mc  cultus  mster? 
dicefis,  Est  oblatio  pesah  Domini,  qui  transcendit  damns 
filiorum  Israel  in  ^gypto,  cum  percuteret  JEgyptios,  et 
domus  nostras  Uberamt''  The  fathers  knew  not  only  them- 
selves what  the  lamb  meant,  but  were  bound  to  teach 
their  infants  the  knowledge  thereof,  as  they  did  by  the 
word  of  God.  Would  to**  our  Lord  christian  men  would 
study  to  do  the  same !  first,  to  know  themselves,  and  then 
to  teach  their  family  by  the  testament ;  and  not  to  say 
unto  their  children,  See  thy  God,  kneel  down  serea^  and 
hold  up  thy  hands.  The  scriptures  reproveth  that  idolatry. 
Teach  the  Lord's  supper  by  the  scriptures,  and  suffer  not 
thy  family  to  blaspheme  God  before  they  know  what  God 
is.  And  believe  not  this  persuasion,  that  it  is  not  a  christian 
man's  office  to  know  what  a  sacrament  is  as  well  as  the 
priest ;  for  if  thou  do,  thou  makest  thyself  guilty  of  God's 
ire  and  displeasure,  and  declarest  thyself  to  be  none  of 

intolerable  arrogancy,  as  declare  plainly  the  same  to  proceed  of  the 
spirit  of  the  devil,  full  of  errors  and  lies,  blindness  and  ignorance,  by 
reason  whereof  they  stumble  in  the  plain  way,  and  cannot  see  in  the 
mid-day."   A  Detection  of  the  Devil's  Sophistry,  &c.  folio  5.] 
P  — bound  on  dewty  for  if  thow  ar,  in  the  original.] 

Teach(ing)  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you.] 

[J  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  your  children  shall  say  unto 
you,  What  mean  ye  by  this  service?  that  ye  shall  say.  It  is  the  sa- 
crifice of  the  Lord's  passover,  who  passed  over  the  houses  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  in  Egypt,  when  he  smote  the  Egyptians,  and  delivered 
our  houses.  Exod.  xii.  26,  37.] 
To,  tho,  in  the  original.] 

P  Serea,  probably  sirrah.] 


220 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


Chriisfs.  Read  the  tenth  chapter  of  John,  and  he  that 
will  minister  the  sacrament  unto  thee,  let  him  say  as 
Paul  said  to  the  Corinthians,  Ego  accepi  a  Domino  quod 
tradidi  vobis\  and  know  by  the  scripture  that  he  saith 
truth.  Trust  not  his  word.  If  thou  canst  not  read,  de- 
sire some  other  to  read  unto  thee  [thej  institution  of 
Christ,  and  know  whether  he  saith  truth  or  not. 

Every  man  is  bound  to  know  the  commandments  of 
God  and  the  works  thereof.  Now  the  sacraments  be  all 
contained  in  this  commandment,  Memento  ut  diem  sabhati 
sanctifices^ ,  How  canst  thou  honour  the  living  God,  and 
if  thou  be  ignorant  of  his  law?  Was  this  precept  given 
unto  the  priests  alone,  that  they  should  only  keep  holy 
the  sabbath  ?  No  !  but  as  they  by  the  word  of  God  are 
bound  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  minister  the  sacraments 
with  knowledge  and  reverence,  so  is  every  christian  man 
bound  to  use  them  with  knowledge  ;  and  in  case  he  knoweth 
not  what  a  sacrament  is,  and  why  it  is  used,  refrain  from 
the  use  of  them ;  for  God's  promise  and  God's  sacraments 
must  be  received  one  way,  with  knowledge  and  faith.  This 
reason  of  my  lord's  is  not  godly ;  for  doubtless  he  that 
goeth  to  plough  all  the  week  is  bound  to  know  truly  what 
a  sacrament  is,  and  how,  and  why,  and  to  what  end  it 
should  be  used,  as  well  as  my  lord ;  and  my  lord  with  all 
the  bishops  and  priests  in  England  shall  lament  full  sore 
their  ignorancy,  and  their  blood  required  at  their  hands, 
and  yet  the  poor  ignorant  persons  excused  from  the  ire  of 
God  nothing  the  rather. 

The  second  reason  to  stablish  the  alteration  of  bread 
he  taketh  of  the  nature  of  faith,  who  believeth  things  con- 
trary unto  reason  and  the  judgment  of  carnal  senses^.  It 

\}  I  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you. 
1  Cor.  xi.  23.] 

P  Remember  the  sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy.  Exod.  xx.  8.] 
p  "To  the  carnal  man  the  devil  bringeth  carnal  reasons;  and  for 
the  confirmation  and  proof  of  them,  calleth  to  witness  the  carnal 
senses,  both  of  the  body  and  soul.  And  straight  thine  eye  saith,  there 
is  but  bread  and  wine ;  thy  taste  saith  the  same ;  thy  feeling  and 
smelling  agree  fully  with  them,  &c."..."  Wherefore,  all  such  as  ground 
their  error  against  this  most  blessed  sacrament  upon  the  testimony  of 
their  sight,  their  taste,  feeling,  or  smell,  or  otherwise  upon  their  car- 
nal understanding,  because  they  cannot  by  their  carnal  reason  com- 


BISHOP  OF   WIiXCHESTEr's  BOOK. 


221 


is  true  that  faith  so  doth,  as  it  believeth  the  world  to  be 
made  of  nothing,  the  Son  of  God  to  be  made  man  in  the 
belly  of  the  virgin  :   this  we  believe  because  the  scripture 
commandeth  us  to  believe  it ;  but  my  lord  cannot  infer 
thereby,  that  faith  beUeveth  every  Canterbury  tale.  Faith 
is  not  a  light  opinion   grounded  upon  man,   but  a  firm 
persuasion  and  constant  assurance  stablished  in  the  scrip- 
ture, Heb.  xi.    It  signifieth  not  only  knowledge,  but  also  Heb.  xi. 
firm  confidence  in  the  thing  known :    as  the  Hebrew 
phrase  useth  many  times  the  word  believe  for  trust.  Asre 
col  hose  bo\  Psalm  ii.    "  Blessed  are  all  that  trust  in  him."  Psai.  ii. 
Paul  citeth  a  place  out  of  Esay,  28th  chap.     ffammae-  isai.  xxvui. 
min  lo  iahisJi^:  Qui  credit  non  festinef^    Likewise  Dan.  vi.',  Dan.vi. 
and  Psalm  Ixxviii.    Duo  synonyma  conjunguntur' :    Quia  Vsa\.\yixyin. 
non  crediderunt  Deo,  et  non  confisi  sunt  in  salutare  suo*' 
The  examples  of  the  Testament  likewise  declareth  that  faith 
signifieth  confidence  in  the  promise  of  God.      0  mulier, 
magna  est  fides  tua.   Item,  fides  tua  te  salmm  fecit'^  Thus 
doth  emeneh'^°  in  the  Hebrew,  and  pistis^^  in  the  Greek 
signify.     Therefore  Laurentius  Val.  and  Budseus"  in  Pan- 
dect. Juris  Civilis,  caUeth  pistis,  persuasionem,  as  Quintilian 
doth. 

prehend  it,  all  such  be  beastly  and  blind,  and  far  from  the  knowledge 
of  the  mysteries  of  our  religion,  as  wherein  our  senses  and  reason  be 
by  faith  condemned  and  reproved;  finally,  declare  themselves  to  be 
such  men  as  seem  to  require  teaching  in  the  principles  and  beginnings 
of  our  religion,  wherein  their  gross  carnal  reasons,  if  they  were  truly 
mortified,  they  should  not  so  stubbornly  and  arrogantly  meddle  in 
the  discussion  of  the  inscrutable  mystery  in  the  most  blessed  sacra- 
ment of  the  altar.  For,  if  their  senses  were  by  true  faith  overthrown 
and  put  to  confusion,  &c."   A  Detection,  &c.  folio  6.] 

11  ''Din-'?D  ■'■^ty^^  Psai.  ii.  12.] 

P  t^TT        yi^mn    Isai.  xxviii.  16.] 

['  He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste.] 

\]  Because  he  believed  in  his  God.    Dan.  vi.  23.] 

Two  synonyms  are  joined  together :  Because  they  believed  not 
in  God,  and  trusted  not  in  his  salvation.    Ps.  Ixxviii.  22.] 

["  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith.    Matt.  xv.  28.    Also,  Thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole.    Mark  v.  34.] 

Quare  fides  non  minus  significat  quam  persuasio.  Budaei  Com- 
ment. Ling.  Gr«c.  Basil.  1556.  Col.  162.  44.  where  Laurent.  Val. 
and  Quintil.  are  quoted.] 


222 


ANSWEK   TO  THE 


Now,  if  we  be  persuaded  that  the  scripture  is  true,  and 
that  faith  must  be  grounded  thereupon,  we  must  believe  no 
alteration  of  the  bread,  but  believe  that  the  bread  remaineth 
1  Cor.  xi.  after  the  words  of  consecration,  as  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xi.  The 
scripture  saith  it  is  a  memory  of  Christ's  body,  and  not  the 
body.  The  scripture  saith  of  Chrisfs  body,  Ascendit  ad 
ccelos,  sedet  ad  deaotram  Dei,  Patris  omnipotentis,  inde  mn- 
turus  judicare  mvos  et  mortms^  Ewpedit  ut  ego  vadam'^. 
Pauper es  semper  hahelitis  vobiscum,  me  non  semper  habehitis^. 
Christ's  body  is  above,  and  no  where  else.  This  saith  faith, 
grounded  upon  the  scripture. 

And  as  for  that  my  lord  compareth  such  as  trusteth 
unto  their  senses,  and  saith  there  still  remaineth  bread,  unto 
the  folly  of  the  Epicures,  that  would  believe  the  sun  to  be 
but  two  foot  broad,  because  it  seemed  no  greater  unto  the 
eye '' ;  verily,  if  my  lord  would  have  studied  a  whole  year, 
he  could  not  have  found  a  more  apt  and  proper  similitude  to 
condemn  the  wrong  opinion  that  he  defendeth,  neither  better 
have  accused  his  own  ignorancy.  The  Epicures,  by  reason 
of  the  great  distance  between  the  Zodiac  and  the  earth, 
could  not  judge  the  sun  as  big  as  it  is  indeed,  but  followed 
their  senses,  and  said  it  was  as  big  as  they  knew.  These 
men  that  believe  alteration  of  bread,  be  not  so  far  off  the 
altar,  but  they  may  judge  what  it  is  and  how  big  it  is. 
They  may  take  the  bread  in  their  hand  and  weigh  it,  if 
they  list ;  take  and  prove  all  experience,  and  warrant  both 
reason  and  senses  that  it  is  a  little  piece  of  bread,  and  no 
man.    Had  the  Epicures  been  as  near  the  sun  as  the  apostles 

P  He  ascended  into  heaven,  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the 
Father  Almighty ;  from  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and 
the  dead.    Apostles'  Creed.^ 

P  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away.    John  xvi.  7.] 
P  The  poor  always  ye  have  with  you,  but   me  ye  have  not 
always.    John  xii.  8.] 

"Hereunto  is  added  the  carnal  man's  understanding,  which  because 
it  taketh  the  beginning  of  the  senses,  proceedeth  in  reasoning  un- 
usually; and,  as  the  Epicures  did,  concludeth  that  the  senses  together 
cannot  be  deceived.  Whereupon  also  the  Epicurians  said  the  sun  was 
but  two  feet  broad,  because  their  eye  judged  it  to  be  no  bigger.  And 
from  this  they  would  not  be  brought,  but  remained  as  firm  in  that 
folly  as  some  heretics  do  in  this  mischievous  devilish  misbelief  against 
the  most  blessed  sacrament  of  the  altar."   A  Detection,  &c.  fol.  6.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


223 


were  unto  the  body  of  Christ  at  his  departure  out  of  this 
world,  they  would  have  judged  of  the  sun  otherwise ;  but 
forasmuch  as  they  judged  after  their  senses,  they  be  more 
to  be  commended  than  those  men  that  neither  beheveth 
the  word  of  God,  neither  reason,  nor  their  senses,  but 
plainly  deny  the  thing  they  see,  and  say  a  piece  of  bread  is 
God  and  man,  where  as  is  not  at  all  one  inch  of  a  man, 
nor  of  man's  proportion.  These  men  are  worthy  to  be 
persuaded,  as  he  that  seeth  the  snow  white,  and  yet  will 
not  believe  it,  verberibus^,  as  the  schools  teacheth,  et  non 
ratione^. 

Then  hath  my  lord  another  comparison,  and  would  make 
God  the  thing  that  he  purposeth,  and  saith  :  "Why  be  men 
more  offended  to  believe  the  body  of  Christ  to  be  in  the 
sacrament,  more  than  when  that  God,  being  immensus^  could 
be  wholly  included  in  the  Virgin's  belly"  V  The  wherefore  is, 
that  the  scripture  commandeth  us  to  believe  the  one,  and  not 
the  other.  Conceptus  est  de  Spiritu  Sancto,  natus  ex  Maria 
mrpine'^,  Matt.  i.  ii.  Luke  i.  ii.  Men  saw  him  in  the  world, 
and  when  he  departed  o"ut  of  the  world.  Now,  my  lord 
knoweth  right  well  that  in  Christ  be  two  natures,  one  divine 
and  the  other  human ;  and  each  of  them  hath  his  proper 
qualities.  God  was  wholly  in  the  belly,  and  wholly  out  of 
the  belly.  Man  was  wholly  in  the  belly,  and  not  out  of 
the  belly  till  the  time  of  his  birth ;  then  wholly  out  of  the 
belly,  and  not  within  the  belly.    So  saith  Augustine* :  Fuit 

P  By  stripes,  and  not  by  reason.] 

P  "  If  in  the  mystery  of  the  incarnation  of  our  Saviour  Christ  the 
rebellion  of  man's  senses  were  thoroughly  trode  under  feet,  and  brought 
in  due  subjection  to  give  place  to  faith,  whereby  we  believe  that  the 
Son  of  God  (which  we  confess  truly  to  be  immensus)  was  yet  con- 
tained in  the  holy  Virgin''s  womb,  and  a  creature  to  contain  the 
Creator,  and  as  the  church  rejoicing  doth  daily  acknowledge  in  wor- 
shipping the  blessed  Virgin  Mary, 

'  Quern  totus  non  capit  orbis, 
In  tua  se  clausit  viscera,  factus  homo/ 
which  to  a  man's  reason  implietli  an  insoluble  contradiction,  to  say 
that  in  her  womb  should  be  shut  in  that  all  the  world  could  not 
contain."   A  Detection,  &c.  fol.  7.] 

He  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  bom  of  the  Virgin  Mary.] 
Non  dimisit  Patrem  cum  venit  ad  Virginem,  ubique  totus,  ubique 
perfectus,  quia  nec  divisionem  incorporei  simplicitas  recipit,  et  Patris 


224 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


totm  in  ventre,  totus  in  cruce,  totus  in  inferno,  et  totus  in 
sepulchro^.  But  this  is  the  property  of  his  Godhead,  and 
not  of  his  manhood.  That  is  in  one  place,  and  never  with- 
out place  ;  the  other  in  all  places,  and  yet  in  no  place. 
Deus  est  totm  in  toto,  et  totus  in  qualihet  ejus  parte"^,  as  the 
soul  of  man  is^  And  as  for  the  authority  of  John  Chry- 
sostom,  he  proveth  not  my  lord's  purpose,  but  disproveth; 
for  he  saith,  Oculis  intellectus  perspiciamus'\  There  is  no 
man  but  saith  the  body  of  Christ  is  present  to  the  faith 
of  man,  howbeit  not  carnally,  neither  bodily  received  of  him 
that  receiveth  the  sacrament.  De  modo  prcesentice  est  totum 
dissidium^.  Chrysostom"  declareth  how  he  is  present  in  spirit 
unto  faith,  and  not  in  the  body  unto  the  mouth :  and  godly 
spoken  of  this  doctor.  So  said  Irenaeus^  before  him,  that 
there  is  two  things  in  the  sacrament,  one  to  the  senses  and 
the  other  to  the  spirit ;  for  if  there  were  nothing  repre- 
sented unto  the  faith  by  the  sacraments,  then  were  they 
no  sacraments,  but  bare  signs ;  which  no  man  saith. 

Then  accuseth  my  lord  those  that  say  it  is  the  bread 
that  mouldeth ;  and  saith  the  devil  hath  taught  men  to  say 

nomen  plenitudo  non  novit.  Erat  ergo  uno  atque  eodem  tempore  ipse 
totus  etiam  in  inferno,  totus  in  coelo,  &c.  Aug.  Op.  Basilise.  1542, 
Tom.  VI.  contra  Felic.  Arr.  Col.  788.] 

P  He  was  wholly  in  the  womb,  wholly  on  the  cross,  whoUy  in 
hell,  and  wholly  in  the  sepulchre. 

P  God  is  wholly  in  the  whole,  and  wholly  in  every  part  thereof. 
See  Magist.  Sent.  Lib.  iii.  Distinct  22,  c.  fol.  257.] 

P  The  Bishop  of  Winchester  had  quoted  "the  philosophers  that 
said  Anima  was  tota  in  toto,  and  tota  in  qualihet  parte."  A  Detection, 
&c.  fol.  68.] 

\^  Let  us  behold  it  with  the  eyes  of  the  mind.] 

The  whole  difference  is  concerning  the  manner  of  his  presence.] 

^  'ETret  ovv  6  Xoyos  <j)rjcrc,  tovt  eVri  to  a-Sjjxa,  fiov,  Koi  mi6a)fie6a  Koi 
rrurrtvaixev,  Koi  vo-qrois  avro  jSXiTroofifv  6<p6aXf]iois.  Ov8ev  yap  ala-drjTov 
napebatKev  ■qplu  6  "K-purros-  dXX'  alcrdrjTois  pev  npaypaai,  Travra  Se  vorjTa. 
(The  former  part  of  this  passage  is  quoted  in  the  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester's book,  but  not  the  latter.)  Chrysost.  Op.  Ben.  Ed.  Par.  1836, 
in  Matt.  Kom.  rr^.  Tom.  vii.  p.  889.] 

[J  OvKeVt  Koivbs  apTOS  ecrriv,  dXX'  evxapUTTia,  eK  bvo  Tcpayparaiv 
<Tvvt(TTr]KVLa,  iiTiyeLov  re  Koi  ovpavlov,  &C.  Irensei  Op.  Paris.  1710,  Lib.  IV. 
cap.  18.   Contra  Hseres.  p.  257.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


225 


somewhat  ^  If  it  be  not  bread,  let  some  man  tell  us  what  it 
is  that  mouldeth.  It  cannot  be  nothing.  He  would  make 
men  believe  that  nothing  corrupteth  by  miracle.  This  is  a 
wonderful  miracle  that  is  wrought  in  nothing.  Here  is  three 
things :  putrefaction,  nothing,  and  a  miracle  by  the  power 
of  God;  and  yet  all  three  nothing,  after  my  lord's  mind. 
I  deny  any  miracle  at  all  to  be  in  the  sacrament ;  but  every 
thing  wrought  by  God  accustomedly :  by  faith,  remission  of 
sin  and  augmentation  of  God's  gifts,  and  the  signs  to  remain 
in  their  proper  nature.  So  doth  Augustine  deny  any  miracle 
to  be  in  the  sacrament  ^  Lib.  de  Trin.  m.,  cap.  10.  It  is 
Innocentius  III.  that  would  prove  this  wrong  opinion  of 
transubstantiation  by  miracle  in  his  book,  De  Officio  Missce^^. 

Then  doth  my  lord  name  1500  years  that  the  church 
hath  believed  it".  If  it  be  true,  why  doth  not  he  name 
the  authors  that  maketh  good  his  saying?  All  the  scrip- 
ture and  old  doctors  be  against  him.  The  breaking  of  the 
bread  hath  been  used  in  the  church  this  1500  years  and 
odd;  but  not  in  a  private  mass,  as  it  is  at  this  day,  but 

P  "Do  we  not  see  (saith  the  devil)  the  sacrament  of  the  altar, 
that  they  call  God  their  idol,  (O  blasphemous  tongue !)  sometime  eaten 
of  a  mouse,  sometime  wax  green  mould,  red  mould,  and  blue  mould  ? 
And  here  the  devil  refresheth  his  younglings  with  many  abominable 
tales,  such  as  a  scoffing  jesting  wit  could  devise  to  have  been  done. 
Doth  it  not  enter  (saith  the  devil)  into  the  body  ?  and  so  forth ; 
and  speaketli  that  liketh  him  more  than  honest  ears  can  endure,  &c. 
&c."   A  Detection,  &c.  fol.  9.] 

P  —  sieut  panis  ad  hoc  factus  in  accipiendo  sacramento  consumitur. 
Sed  quia  hsec  hominibus  nota  sunt,  quia  per  homines  fiunt,  honorem 
tanquam  religiosa  possunt  habere,  stuporem  tanquam  mira  non  possunt. 
Aug.  Op.  Basiliee,  1543.  Tom.  m.  De  Trin.  Lib.  iii.  cap.  10,  fol.  289.] 

\y  Si  vero  quseratur  quid  a  mure  comeditur,  cum  sacramentum 
corroditur,  vel  quid  incineratur,  cum  sacramentum  crematur;  respon- 
detur,  quod  sicut  miraculose  substantia  panis  convertitur,  cum  corpus 
dominicum  incipit  esse  sub  sacramento,  sic  quodammodo  miraculose 
revertitur  cum  ipsum  ibi  desinit  esse,  &c.  Innocentii  Papae  III.  de 
sacro  altaris  mysterii  Ubri  sex,  &c.  Antuerpiae  1545.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  6. 
fol.  172.   See  also  fol.  166,  Stc] 

"  Doth  not  the  priest  daily  in  the  mass,  and  hath  done  always, 
break  the  host  consecrate  in  the  sight  of  the  people,  without  offence 
or  slander,  of  such  as  have  these  fifteen  hundred  years,  and  do  at 
this  day,  believe  the  presence  of  the  natural  body  of  Christ  ?"  A 
Detection,  &c.  fol.  14.] 

[hoopee.J 


226 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


unto  all  the  church.  Gregory's  time  was  overcharged  with 
superstition:  yet  was  the  communion  of  both  kinds  used 
then  among  the  people^  And  this  man  died  not  for  1600 
years  sithe" !  He  was  created  bishop  of  Rome  157  years 
after  the  death  of  Augustine^  and  died  anno  604,  in  the 
reign  of  Phocas  the  emperor,  that  first  decreed  the  church 
of  Rome  to  be  the  head  of  Greeks  and  Latins,  though  the 
church  of  Constantinople  never  consented  thereunto*  The 
name  of  the  mass  began  then  first  to  be  known  among  the 
people.  Howbeit,  it  was  a  communion  and  no  private 
mass. 

Such  as  make  James  the  apostle,  and  Basilius,  the 
authors  of  this  wicked  and  devilish  private  mass,  must 
prove  that  they  say  by  good  authority :  except  they 
mean  by  the  name  of  the  mass  the  communion  of  the 
Lord's  supper.  It  should  seem  by  the  canon  of  the  mass 
that  is  at  this  day  read  in,  which  was  wroten  in  Gregory's 
time,  that  the  mass  was  a  communion.  For  the  priest 
offered  the  gifts  of  the  people,  the  bread  and  wine,  unto 
God  with  thanks  by  these  words,  Per  Christwm  Dominum 
nostrum,  per  quern  hwc  omnia,  Domine,  semper  bona  creas, 
sandificas,  vivificas,  henedicas,  &c^.    So  calleth  Ireneus^  and 

P  — vobisadhuc  parvulis  incamationis  ejus  tantummodo  lambendum 
sanguinem  trado.   Sancti  Gregorii  Op.   Paris.  1672,  Tom.  i.  co.  935.] 

P  And  this  manne  died  not  for  1500  hundrithe  yers  sithe,  in  the 
original.] 

p  Augustine  died  August  28,  430.  Gregoiy  was  elected  pope, 
September  3,  590.] 

See  Platina's  lives  of  Gregory  I.  and  Boniface  III.] 

P  Through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord :  through  whom  thou,  O  Lord, 
dost  create,  sanctify,  quicken,  bless,  &c.,  all  these  things  to  be  ever 
good.    Missale  Romanum,  Parisiis,  1579.    Canon  Missae,  fol.  131.] 

\^  'ETTftS))  (LieX?;  avTov  iafitv,  Koi  dia  rrjs  ktiWcbs  rpe<l)6fi,e6a,  Tr)v  be 
kt'ktlv  i^fuv  avTos  irape;^ei,  Tov  rjXiov  avTov  avareWav,  Kal  ^pi^av,  Kadats 
^ovXerai,  to  otto  t^s  KTia-ews  TTorrfpiov  aip.a  I'Stov  aip.6k6yr)(rev,  ov 
TO  i^fierepov  devfi  aip.a,  koi  tov  dno  tt/s  Knaetos  apTov  'Lbiov  (rafia  Sie^e^ai- 
(oaaTO,  d(j)  ov  to  i^fierepa  av^ei  acifiaTa.  Irensei  Op.  Venetiis,  1734,  Lib.  v. 
cap.  2,  §  2,  Tom.  i.  p.  294. 

Sed  et  suis  discipulis  dans  consilium  primitias  Deo  oiFere  ex  suis 
creaturis,  non  quasi  indigenti,  sed  ut  ipsi  nec  infructuosi  nec  ingrati 
sint,  eum  qui  ex  creatura  p9,nis  est  accepit,  et  gratias  egit,  dicens: 
Hoe  est  meum  corpus.    Et  calicem  similiter,  qui  est  ex  ea  creatura. 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


227 


TertuUian'''  the  bread  of  thanksgiving  the  creature  of  God, 
whereby  is  noted  the  difference  between  common  bread, 
and  the  bread  dedicated  unto  an  holy  use  and  memory 
of  Chriefs  death :  yet  notwithstanding  they  call  the  bread 
and  the  wine  creatures,  and  not  the  accidents  of  creatures, 
as  our  men  of  late  days  doth.  Were  there  no  more  books 
but  the  mass-book,  wherein  is  contained  all  this  profanation 
and  abuses  of  Christ's  supper,  it  is  easy  to  be  proved  by 
the  prayers  therein  contained  and  used  in  Gregory's  time, 
that  the  mass  was  a  communion.  Thus  the  priest  and 
the  people  prayed.  Corporis  sacri  et  pretiosi  sangmnis  repleti 
libamine,  quwsumm,  Domine  Deus  noster^,  &c.  Again, 
Satiasti,  Domine,  familiam  tuam  mumribus  sacris^ 

Beda,  that  was  ninety  years  after  the  death  of  Gregory, 
in  the  time  of  Sergius  primus,  knew  not  of  transubstanti- 
ation,  nor  of  private  masses.  No.  In  the  time  of  Carolus 
the  Great,  two  hundred  years  after  [the]  death  of  Gregory, 
there  was  no  such  massing  as  my  lord  speaketh  of.  But 
masses  then  began  to  come  into  estimation,  when  the  order 
of  Benedict  enlarged  their  cloisters  in  France'^.  Other 
orders  were  not  then  begotten.  These  monks  said  private 
masses,  and  applied  the  merits  thereof  for  the  sins  of  other. 

quae  est  secundum  nos,  suum  sanguinem  confessus  est,  et  novi  testa- 
menti  novam  docuit  oblationem ;  quam  ecelesia  ab  Apostolis  accipiens, 
in  universo  mundo  ofFert  Deo,  ei  qui  alimenta  nobis  praestat,  primitias 
suorum  munerum  in  novo  testamento,  de  quo  in  duodecim  prophetis 
Malachias  sic  prsesignificavit.  Non  est  mihi  voluntas,  etc.  Ibid.  Con- 
tra hsereses,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  17,  §  5,  Tom.  i.  p.  249.] 

[J  Sed  ille  quidem  usque  nunc  nec  aquam  reprobavit  Creatoris  qua 
suos  abluit,  nec  oleum  quo  suos  ungit,  nec  mellis  et  lactis  societatem 
qua  suos  infantat,  nec  panem  quo  ipsum  corpus  suum  representat, 
etiam  in  sacraraentis  propriis  egens  mendicitatibus  Creatoris.  Tertul. 
Op.  Paris.  1664.  contr.  Marc.  Lib,  i.  cap.  14,  p.  872.] 

[*  We,  replenished  with  the  offering  of  thy  sacred  body  and  precious 
blood,  beseech  thee,  O  Lord  our  God,  &c.  Missale  Romanum,  in 
festo  Visitationis  beatse  Mariae  Virginis.  Post-communio.  Pro  com.  Sm. 
Martyr.  Processi  et  Martiniani,  fol.  222.] 

Thou  hast  satisfied,  O  Lord,  thy  family  with  holy  gifts.  Ibid. 
In  fest.  invent.  S.  Crucis.   Post-communio,  fol.  209.] 

[}"  Under  the  superintendence  of  Benedict  (abbot  of  Aniane  in  Lan- 
guedoc),  who  restored  the  rule  of  St  Benedict,  and  required  all  the 
monasteries  in  France  to  conform  thereto.    He  died  821.] 

15—2 


228 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


After  the  death  of  Carolus,  reigned  his  son  Ludovicus, 
anno  815,  in  whose  days  private  masses  came  into  such  esti- 
mation, that  people  neglected  the  communion,  and  thought  it 
sufficient  if  the  priest  said  mass,  and  received  the  bread  for 
them.  Whereupon  the  prince  made  a  law,  that  the  people 
should  communicate  with  the  church  three  times  in  the  year ; 
as  Ansegisus  writeth,  canon  xxxviii.,  Lib.  ii'  Yet  people 
esteemed  the  mass  more  holy  and  better  than  the  institution 
of  Christ,  and  passed  neither  of  God,  neither  of  the  law  of 
the  prince.  Then  was  there  another  law  made,  that  all  men 
should  once  in  the  year  communicate  and  use  the  Lord's 
supper,  as  the  canon  "  Omnes  utriusque  sexus  ^ "  testifieth. 

This  private  breaking  of  bread  is  not  of  such  antiquity 
as  my  lord  speaketh  of,  as  we  may  see  by  the  decrees  of 
Clement  III.,  De  poenitentia  et  remissione^,  who  lived  in 
anno  1200.  Lombartus''  doth  allege  in  the  sentence  no 
elder  author  than  Sergius  IL,  Os  porci  cognominatum,  who 
reigned  anno  842,  thirty  years  after  the  death  of  Carolus 
Magnus. 

The  causes  of  this  fraction  doth  Bonaventura^  shew,  Dis- 
tinct, xii..  Lib.  IV  : 

\}  De  corporis  Domini  et  sanguinis  commnnicatione  laicorum. — Ut 
si  non  frequentius,  vel  ter  laici  homines  in  anno  communicentj  nisi  forte 
quis  majoribus  quibuslibet  criminibus  impediatur.  Capit.  Caroli  Magni 
et  Ludovici  Pii,  Lib.  vii.  coUecti  ab  Ansegiso,  &c.,  Lib.  ii.  cap.  45. 
Capitularia  Regum  Francorum,  Stephani  Baluzii,  Paris.  1677,  Tom.  i. 
p.  750.] 

P  Omnis  utriusque  sexus  Fidelis,  postquam  ad  annos  discretionis 
pervenerit,  omnia  sua  solus  peccata  saltem  semel  in  anno  fideliter  con- 
fiteatur  proprio  sacerdoti,  et  injunctam  sibi  poenitentiam  propriis 
viribus  studeat  adimplere,  suscipiens  reverenter,  ad  minus  in  Pascha, 
eucharistiae  sacramentum. — Decretal.  Gregor.  IX.  Lib.  v.  Tit.  38,  Can. 
xri.  Corp.  Juris  Canon.  Tom.  ii.  p.  266,  Paris.  1687.] 
See  Jur.  Can.  Tom.  n.  p.  268,  b.] 

^  Quid  autem  partes  illse  significant,  Sergius  Papa  tradit,  inquiens, 
Triforme  est  corpus  Christi.  Pars  oblata,  in  calicem  missa,  corpus 
Christi,  quod  jam  surrexit,  monstrat ;  pars  comesta  ambulantem  adhuc 
super  terram ;  pars  in  altari  usque  ad  finem  missse  remanens,  corpus 
jacens  in  sepulchre  significat,  quia  usque  in  finem  seculi  corpora  sanc- 
torum in  sepulchris  erunt.  Mag.  Sentent.  Lib.  iv.  Lugduni,  1570,  Lib. 
IV.  Distinct.  12,  F.  fol.  315.  See  also  Tho.  Aquinat.  Colon.  1639,  3  Par. 
Vol.  II.  Qusest.  83,  Art.  5,  p.  354] 

P  Bonarenturae  Op.  Moguntiae,  1609.   Tom.  vi.  fol.  92,  col.  2.] 


RiSHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


229 


Hostia  dividitur  in  partes  tincta :  beatos 
Plane^  sicca  notat  vivos,  servata  sepultos^ 

He  that  listeth  to  read  more  of  this  ill,  let  him  read  the 
fourth  book  of  Lombert. 

Their  keeping  of  it  in  the  box,  and  kneeling  down  at  the 
time  of  sacring,  is  but  the  commandment  of  Honorius,  third 
bishop  of  Rome,  as  it  appeareth  by  his  words.  Lib.  iii.  Decre- 
talium,  titulo  De  celebratione  missarum^ .  And  this  Honorius 
died  anno  1226. 

As  concerning  the  both  kinds  of  the  sacraments,  it  was 
not  forbidden  in  the  time  of  the  Master  of  the  Sentence", 
who  lived  anno  1182,  Frederico  Suevo  Imperatore  Augusto, 
nor  in  the  time  of  Thomas  Aquinas.  For  in  a  certain  hymn^" 
he  speaketh  thus  of  the  distribution  of  the  sacrament  unto 
the  whole  church : 

Sic  sacrificium  istud  imtituit, 
Cujus  officium  committi  voluit 
Solis  presbyteris,  quibus  sic  congruit, 
Ut  sumant  et  dent  ceteris^^. 

If  the  priest  gave  unto  the  people  that  he  received  himself, 
P  Plene,  according  to  Bonaventura.] 

P  The  wafer  dipped  [in  the  wine]  is  divided  into  portions  :  clearly  the 
dry  denotes  the  blessed  that  are  alive,  that  which  is  reserved,  the  buried.] 

[**  Districte  praecipiendo  mandamus,  quatenus  a  sacerdotibus  eucha- 
ristiae  in  loco  singular!  mundo  et  signato  semper  honorifice  coUocatse 
devote  ac  fideliter  conservetur.  Sacerdos  vero  frequenter  doceat  plebem 
suam,  ut  cum  in  celebratione  missarum  elevatur  hostia  salutaris,  se 
reverenter  inclinet,  idem  faciens  cum  earn  defert  prtsbyter  ad  infirmos. 
Corp,  Jur.  Canon.  Tom.  ii.  Paris.  1687.  Decretal.  Greg.  IX.  Lib.  iii. 
Tit.  41.   De  celebra.  Miss.  cap.  x.  p.  193.] 

P  Sed  quare  sub  duplici  specie  sumitur,  cum  sub  alterutra  totus  sit 
Christus?  Ut  ostenderetur  totam  humanam  naturam  assumpsisse, 
ut  totum  redimeret.  Panis  enim  ad  carnem  refertur,  vinum  ad  ani- 
mam :  quia  vinum  operatur  sanguinem,  in  quo  sedes  animse  a  physicis 
esse  dicitur.  Ideo,  ergo  in  duabus  speciebus  celebratur,  ut  animse  et 
carnis  susceptio  in  Christo  et  utriusque  liberatio  in  nobis  significetur, 
etc.    Magister  Sent.  Lib.  iv.  Distinct,  xi.  F.  fol.  313.] 

Hymni  qui  in  vesperis,  matutinis,  atque  aliis  horis  canonicis  in 
ecclesia  Dei  per  totum  annum  leguntur.  Parisiis,  apud  Johannem 
RueUium,  1540.  See  Rituale  Romanum.  De  Processionibus  Hymnus. 
Sacris  solemniis,  &c.] 

[|"  Thus  did  he  institute  that  sacrifice,  the  administration  of  which 
he  willed  to  be  committed  to  priests  alone,  whom  thus  it  bcseemeth 
that  they  should  take  and  give  it  to  others.] 


230 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


there  was  no  part  of  the  sacrament  taken  from  them,  as  it  is 
at  this  day.  Yet  shame  they  not,  ill  men !  to  say  their  mass 
is  1500  years  old.  No,  no!  This  ill  came  into  the  church 
after  the  condemnation  of  the  great  clerk,  Berengarius,  as  is 
said  before. 

When  my  lord  would  stablish  his  doctrine  by  the  autho- 
rity of  the  doctors,  because  they  say  the  wine  and  the  bread 
is  changed,  they  make  not  for  my  lord's  purpose ;  for  they 
speak  of  one  alteration,  and  my  lord  speaketh  of  another. 
They  say  not  that  the  substance  and  matter  of  the  bread  and 
wine  is  changed,  but  that  the  use  of  it  is  changed;  for  where 
before  it  was  common  bread  and  common  wine,  now  it  is  with 
great  religion  taken  for  the  presentation  and  confirmation  of 
all  God's  promises  unto  his  church,  for  the  death  of  his  Son. 
The  doctors  doth  well  to  call  the  bread  the  body,  and 
the  wine  the  blood  ;  for  Christ  so  called  it ;  as  it  hath  been 
used,  from  the  beginning  of  the  church  until  this  day,  to  call 
a  sacrament  by  the  name  of  the  thing  signified  by  the  sacra- 
ment. Use  thyself  unto  the  scripture,  christian  reader,  and 
then  thou  shalt  perceive  all  the  doctors,  for  the  space  of  nine 
hundred  years,  to  stand  of  thy  part,  and  never  minded  this 
transubstantiation  of  the  bread  and  wine.  Read  Augustine, 
de  sermonibus^  fidelmm.  Quia  Ohristus  (inquit)  passws  est  pro 
Ttobis,  commendamt  nobis  in  isto  Sacramento  corpus  et  sangui- 
nem  suum,  quern  etiam  fecit  et  nos  ipsos.  Nam  et  nos  ipsius 
corpus  facii  sumus,  per  misericordiam  ipsius,  quod  accipimus  et 
ms  sumus^.  And  in  the  same  sermon  he  saith.  In  nomine 
Christi  tanqnam  ad  calicem  venistis,  ibi  ms  estis  in  mensa,  et  ibi 
vos  estis  in  calice".  As  our  bodies  naturally  are  not  the  body 
of  Christ,  nor  corporally  our  bodies  be  not  in  the  chalice, 
but  by  faith  we  are  his  members,  and  spiritually  conjoined 
with  him  in  the  chalice ;  so  spiritually  he  giveth  us  his  body. 

['  A  mistake  for  de  Sacramenfis  fidelium,  as  the  Fragment  is  entitled 
in  some  editions.  It  will  be  found  in  Tom.  v.  p.  976.  Serm.  229.  Paris. 
1670.] 

P  Inasmuch  as  Christ  (saith  he)  suffered  for  us,  he  commended  to 
us  in  that  sacrament  his  body  and  his  blood ;  the  which  also  he  hath 
made  us.  For  we,  through  his  mercy,  are  made  his  body,  which  we 
receive  and  [which]  we  are.] 

P  In  the  name  of  Christ,  even  as  you  have  come  to  the  cup,  there 
you  are  on  the  table,  and  there  you  are  in  the  cup.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


231 


If  Christ  corporally  be  given  unto  us  in  the  sacrament,  then 
corporally  are  those  that  receive  the  sacrament  in  the  chalice ; 
which  were  an  absurdity  to  grant.  So  likewise  he  interpre- 
tateth  this  spiritual  receiving  of  Chrisfs  body,  in  Sermone  ad 
infmtes*,  expounding  these  words  of  Paul,  Unum  panis  et 
unum  corpus  multi  sumus^.  TertuUian,  Lib.  iv.  contra  Mar- 
cionem  ^,  doth  expound  these  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  mewm,  and 
proveth  thereby  that  the  bread  is  not  the  body  naturally  of 
Christ,  but  proveth  by  these  words  that  Christ  had  a  true 
body,  and  was  very  man,  saying :  Phantasma  non  capit  figu- 
rant, sed  Veritas ;  aliud  enim  a  pane  corpus  Jesus  habet,  nec  pro 
nobis  panis  traditus,  sed  ipsum  Christi  wrum  corpus,  traditum 
in  crucem,  quod  panis  Jigura  in  ccena  exhibitum  est''  He 
calleth  this  sacrament  the  sign  of  his  body,  and  yet  never 
condemned  for  an  heretic.  And  this  should  the  better  con- 
tent the  mind  of  man,  that  whereas  Augustine,  in  lib.  here- 
sibus,  doth  note  certain  errors  of  TertuUian,  yet  concerning 
this  matter  of  the  sacrament  he  speaketh  not  one  word 
against  him  :  for  Augustine  himself  believeth  as  TertuUian 
did,  as  he  testiifieth  contra  Adimantum^ :  Non  dubitamt 
Dominus  dicere,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  cum  signum  daret 
corporis  sui^  Why  is  not  Augustine  condemned  for  an 
heretic,  and  his  books  burned,  because  he  saith  that  the 

Panis  ille  quem  videtis  in  altari,  sanctificatus  per  verbuin  Dei, 
corpus  est  Christi.  Calix  Ule,  imo  quod  habet  calix,  sanctificatum  per 
verbum  Dei,  sanguis  Christi  est.  Per  ista  voluit  Dominus  commendare 
corpus  et  sanguinem  euum,  quem  pro  vobis  fudit  in  remissionem  peccato- 
rum,  si  bene  accipitis :  Apostolus  enim  dicit,  Unus  panis,  unum  corpus 
multi  sumus.  Serm.  83,  de  Diversis,  entitled  by  others  Ad  Infantes.] 
We  being  many  are  one  bread  and  one  body.] 

[®  Tertullian's  words  are:  Figura  autem  non  fuisset,  nisi  veritatis 
esset  corpus.  Ceterum  vacua  res,  quod  est  phantasma,  figuram  capere 
non  posset.  Aut  si  propterea  panem  corpus  sibi  finxit,  quia  corporis 
carebat  veritate,  ergo  panem  debuit  tradere  pro  nobis.  Tertul.  adv. 
Marc.  Lib.  iv.  c.  40,  Paris.  1680,  p.  233.] 

\]  It  is  not  a  phantasm  which  ttaketh  form,  but  truth,  for  Jesus 
hath  a  body  other  than  the  bread:  nor  was  the  bread  delivered 
for  us,  but  the  very  body  of  Christ,  which  was  delivered  unto  the 
cross,  wliich  [^body]  is  shewn  forth  in  the  supper  by  the  figure  of 
bread.] 

P  Aug.  Op.  Basiliae,  1642,  Tom.  vi.  col.  187.] 

P  The  Lord  did  not  hesitate  to  say,  "  This  is  my  body,"  when  he 
gave  a  sign  of  his  body.] 


232 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Lord  doubted  not  to  say,  "  This  is  my  body,"  when  he  gave 
the  sign  of  his  body  ?  Tertullian '  denieth  plainly  the  bread 
to  be  his  body.  Lib.  iv.  contra  Marcion.  speaking  of  the  bread, 
Acceptum  (inquit)  et  disfributum  discipulis,  corpus  suum  ilium 
fecit,  &c.  Quomodo  corpus  suum  fecit,  si  panis  non  est  cor- 
pus, sed  figura  corporis  ejus  ?  panem  fecit  corpus,  id  est,  sui 
corporis  reprcesentationem  consecravit^.  So  doth  Cyprian  ^ 
Epistola  ad  Cecilium,  say  of  the  chalice :  JVon  potest  videri 
sanguis  ejus,  qm  redempti  et  vivificati  sumus,  esse  in  calice, 
quando  mnum  desit  calici,  qm  Christi  sanguis  ostenditur* 
The  wine  is  put  into  the  chalice  to  represent  the  blood  of 
Christ.  So  in  his  sermon,  De  oratione  Dominica^,  [he]  saith 
that  this  supper  is  a  mystical  and  sacramental  eating  and 
drinking  of  Christ's  body  by  faith,  and  not  carnally,  as  this 
opinion  of  transubstantiation  would  have  it.    Mentis,  non 

['  Tertul.  Adv.  Marc.  Lib.  iv.  c.  40,  Paris,  1580,  p.  233.] 
P  Having  received  (he  said)  and  distributed  the  bread  to  his 
disciples,  he  made  it  his  body,  &c.  How  did  he  make  it  his  body, 
if  bread  be  not  his  body,  but  a  figure  of  his  body?  he  made  the 
bread  his  body,  that  is,  he  consecrated  it  to  be  a  representation  of  his 
body.] 

\y  Cypriani  Op.  Lugd.  1550,  Ep.  3.  ad  CsecU.  p.  117.] 

His  blood,  by  which  we  were  redeemed  and  quickened,  cannot  be 
seen  to  be  in  the  cup,  when  wine  is  wanting  from  the  cup,  by  which 
Christ's  blood  is  represented.] 

[°  No  such  expression  has  been  found  in  the  Sermo  de  Orat.  Domin. 
Possibly  allusion  may  be  made  to  the  comment  on  "  Panem  nostrum 
quotidianum  da  nobis  hodie,"  commencing.  Quod  potest  spiritualiter 
(et  simpliciter)  intelligi,  quia  et  uterque  intellectus  utilitate  divina 
profieit  ad  salutem.  Nam  panis  vitae  Christus  est,  et  panis  hie  omnium 
non  est,  sed  noster  est ;  et  quomodo  dicimus  '  Pater  noster,'  quia  intelli- 
gentium  et  credentium  pater  est,  sic  et  panem  nostrum  vocamus,  quia 
Christus  noster,  qui  corpus  ejus  contingimus,  panis  est.  Hunc  autem 
panem  dari  nobis  quotidie  postulamus,  ne  qui  in  Christo  sumus  et 
eucharistiam  quotidie  ad  cibum  salutis  accipimus,  intercedente  aliquo 
graviori  delicto,  dum  abstenti  et  non  communicantes  a  coelesti  pane 
prohibemur,  a  Christi  corpore  prohibeamur.  p.  418.  But  more  probably 
the  reference  is  to  the  Sermo  de  Cwna  Domini,  where  the  following 
sentences  occur:  Sed  in  cogitationibus  hujusmodi  caro  et  sanguis  non 
prodest  quicquam,  quia,  sicut  ipse  Magister  exposuit,  verba  haec  spiritus 
et  vita  sunt ;  nec  carnalis  sensus  ad  intellectum  tantae  profunditatis 
penetrat,  nisi  fi.des  accedat. — p.  316.  Nisi  manducaremus,  &c.  spirituali 
nos  instruens  documento  et  aperiens  ad  rem  adeo  abditam  intellectum, 
&c.— p.  319.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


233 


dmtis,  sacramenta  sunt  pabula,  inqidt  Augustin",  St  Hie- 
rome''',  in  Epist.  ad  Busticum:  Nihil  ditim  Emperio  ToIoscb 
Episcopo,  ait,  ut  qui,  vasis  ecclesioe  pretiosis  in  pauperum  alimo- 
nium  distractis,  corpus  Christi  in  canistro  vimineo  et  sangui- 
nem  portare  in  vitro^.  Also,  Lib.  ii.  contra  Jovinianum'\  et 
qumtione  secunda  ad  Hedibiam^°,  he  doth  as  Christ  did,  as 
the  apostles  did,  as  the  scripture  doth,  call  the  sacrament  of 
Christ's  body  the  body  itself.  And  so  we  read  in  St  Am- 
brose", Id  quod  panis  erat  ante  consecrationem  corpus  esse 

P  Sacraments  are  food  for  the  mind,  not  for  the  mouth,  saith  Augus- 
tine. These  words  have  not  been  found  in  Augustine,  but  the  same  idea 
frequently  occurs  in  other  words.  For  example :  Quid  paras  dentes  et 
ventrem  ?  Crede,  et  manducastL  In  Evang.  Joan.  tr.  26.  Noli  parare 
fauces,  sed  cor — non  ergo  quod  videtur  sed  quod  creditur  pascit.  Sermo 
112.  De  verbis  Domini.  Qui  manducat  intus,  non  foris — qui  manducat 
in  corde,  non  qui  premit  dente.  Credere  enim  in  eum,  hoc  est  inanducare 
panem  vivum.  Qui  credit  in  eum  manducat,  invisibiliter  saginatur, 
&c.  In  Evang.  Joan.  tr.  26.  Flac.  lUyr.  quotes  Aug.  as  saying,  tr.  25: 
Non  ventris,  sed  mentis  est  cibus.  Catalog,  test.  Genev.  1608.  p. 
363.] 

\]  Sanctus  Exuperius  Tolosae,  viduae  Saraptensis  imitator,  esuriens 
pascit  alios:  et  ore  pallente  jejuniis,  fame  torquetur  aUena;  omnemque 
substantiam  Christi  visceribus  erogavit.  Nihil  illo  ditius;  qui  corpus 
Domini  canistro  vimineo,  sanguinem  portat  in  vitro  :  qui  avaritiam 
ejecit  e  templo,  Ssc.  Hieron.  Op.  BasiL  1616,  Tom.  i.  Ep.  ad  Rusticum, 
fol.  28.] 

P  Nothing  (he  saith)  was  more  rich  than  Exuperius,  bishop  of 
Tolosa,  vpho,  when  the  costly  vessels  of  the  church  had  been  sold  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  poor,  was  wont  to  carry  the  body  of  Christ 
in  a  wicker  basket,  and  his  blood  in  a  vessel  of  glass.] 

P  Et  nos  Christi  corpus  sequaliter  accipiamus,  &c.  Hieron.  Op.  Basil. 
1516,  Tom.  III.  Adversus  Jovinianum,  Lib.  ii.  fol.  40.] 

Nos  autem  audiamus  panem,  quem  fregit  Dominus,  deditque  dis- 
cipulis  suis,  esse  corpus  Domini  Salvatoris,  ipso  dicente  ad  eos,  Accipite 
et  comedite,  hoc  est  corpus  meum,  &c.  Si  ergo  panis  qui  de  cceIo  de- 
scendit  corpus  est  Domini,  &c.  Hieron.  Op.  Tom.  iv.  Hedibiae,  Quaest. 
2.  fol.  68,  D.] 

Tu  forte  dicis,  Meus  panis  est  usitatus.  Sed  panis  iste  panis  est 
ante  verba  sacramentorum ;  ubi  acceperit  consecratio,  de  pane  fit  caro 
Christi.  Hoc  igitur  adstruamus.  Quomodo  potest  qui  panis  est,  corpus 
esse  Christi  ?  Consecratione  non  erat  corpus  Christi  ante  conse- 
crationem, sed  post  consecrationem, — dico  tibi  quod  jam  corpus  est  Christi. 
Ambrosii  Opera.  Colonia  1616,  Tom.  iv.  de  Sacram.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  4, 
p.  178,  D  and  E.  Antequam  ergo  consecretur,  panis  est:  ubi  autem 
verba  Christi  acceperint,  corpus  est  Christi.    Ibid.  cap.  v.  p.  173,  H.jJ 


234 


ANSWER   JO  THE 


Christi  post  consecratiomm^,  the  bread  was  called  the  thing 
that  the  bread  represented,  because  men  should  with  the 
more  reverence  and  often ^  use  this  holy  sacrament.  But 
what  his  censure  and  judgment  was  of  the  sign,  it  may  be 
known  in  his  Commentaries  upon  the  First  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  chap,  xi.^,  where  he  saith  that  the  supper  is  the 
sign  of  the  thing,  and  not  the  thing  itself.  He  calleth  the 
cup  the  figure  of  the  blood,  and  not  the  blood  itself.  The 
books  "  De  sacramentis,"  that  be  named  to  be  his,  be  not 
his,  as  those  two  reasons  may  well  persuade.  The  doctrine 
of  them  agreeth  not  with  the  doctrine  of  his  other  works, 
neither  with  the  writings  of  his  scholar  and  disciple,  St 
Augustine.  Read  his  tenth  book,  de  humanifate  Christi 
assumpta,  in  Lucam'^.  Ergo,  non  supra  terram,  nee  in  terra^ 
nec  secundwm  carnem  te  quwrere  deiemus,  si  volumus  invenire. 
Nimc  mim  secundum  carnem  \jaiin\  non  novimus  Christum. 
Denique  Stephanus  non  supra  terram  qucesivit,  qui  stantem  ad 
dextram  Dei  vidit.  Maria  autem  quce  quoerebat  in  terra  tan- 
gere  non  potuit :    Stephanus  tetigit,  quia  qumivit  in  coelo^. 

That  which  was  bread  before  consecration  to  be  the  body  of  Christ 
after  consecration.] 

P  Often :  owsten,  in  the  original.] 

Ostendit  illis  mysterium  eucharistise  inter  coenandum  celebratum 
non  coenam  esse.  Medicina  enim  spiritalis  est,  quae  cum  reverentia 
degustata  purificat  sibi  devotum.  Memoria  enim  redemptionis  nostrse 
est,  &c.  Quia  enim  morte  Domini  liberati  sumns,  hujus  rei  memores 
in  edendo  et  potando  carnem  et  sanguinem,  quae  pro  nobis  oblata  sunt, 
significamus,  novum  testamentum  in  his  consecuti,  &c.    Nam  et  Moyses 

 dicens.  Hoc  est  testamentum.    Hoc  figura  fuit  testamenti  quod 

Dominus  novum  appellavit  per  prophetas,  ut  illud  vetus  sit  quod  Moyses 
tradidit.  Testamentum  ergo  sanguinis  constitutum  est,  quia  beneficii 
divini  sanguis  testis  est.  In  cujus  typum  nos  calicem  mysticum  san- 
guinis ad  tuitionem  corporis  et  animae  nostrse  percipimus,  &c.  Si  igitur 
apud  veteres  imago  fuit  veritatis,  8sc.,  quomodo  hsereticis  contrarium 
videtur  vetus  novo,  cum  ipsa  tibi  invicem  testimonio  sint?  Ambrosii 
Opera  Colonise  1616,  Tom.  iii.  In  1  Ep.  ad  Cor.  cap.  xi.  pp.  183  and 
184.] 

[*  Ambrosii  Opera.  Tom.  iil  Lib.  x.  In  Evang.  Luc.  p.  109,  H.] 
P  Therefore  we  ought  not  to  seek  thee  upon  the  earth,  neither  in 
the  earth,  nor  according  to  the  flesh  ;  for  now  we  know  not  Christ  after 
the  flesh.  Finally,  Stephen  sought  him  not  on  earth,  who  saw  him 
standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Mary  who  sought  him  on  earth 
could  not  touch  him ;  but  Stephen  touched  him  because  he  sought  him 
in  heaven.] 


BISHOP   OF  WINCH ESTEr''s  BOOK. 


235 


This  doth  Hilarius®  godly  declare  in  the  cxxxvii.  psalm. 
Wheresoever  this  later  age  could  take  occasion  of  any  holy 
doctor's  writing  by  the  least  word  of  the  world,  they  wrested 
the  word  from  the  doctor's  meaning  to  stablish  their  opinion 
of  transubstantiation  of  bread.  Every  doctor  of  antiquity 
maketh  against  it,  and  yet  they  will  not  leave  their  miserable 
blindness. 

I  would  repeat  more  places  of  the  doctors,  but  it  needeth 
not.  Those  that  hath  written  against  this  falsehood  before 
me,  in  Latin  and  in  English,  better  learned  than  I,  hath 
gathered  so  many  places  together,  that  it  sufficeth  every 
heart  that  is  not  wedded  unto  his  opinion.  Read  Saint 
Augustine'  in  6th  chapter  of  John,  and  in  the  98th  Psalm: 
expounding  these  words,  Nisi  manducamritis  carnem  Filii 
hominis^,  in  the  person  of  Christ  [he]  saith  this:  Spiritualiter 
{inquit)  intelUgite  quw  locutus  sum.  Non  hoc  corpus  estis 
manducaturi  quod  videtis,  et  libituri  ilium  sanguinem  quern 
fusuri  sunt  qui  me  crucifigent.  Sacramentum  aliquod  vobis 
commendavi ;  spiritualiter  intellectmn  vivificat  [mmficabit  ms\ 
Caro  non  prodest  quicquam^,  ^c.  Would  to  God  the  world 
could  understand  this  kind  of  eating ! 

Such  as  would  prove  Christ's  body  to  be  here  upon  the 
earth,  hath  nothing  but  words  of  their  own  invention,  with- 
out the  scripture,  wherewith  they  deceive  the  unlearned.  It 
is  soon  done  to  make  good  a  thing  impossible,  by  words  and 
a  sweet  oration,  to  such  as  be  ignorant  of  the  matter  that  is 
spoken  of,  as  Cicero'":  Nihil  tam  incredihile  quod  non  dicendo 
fiat  prolabile,  nihil  tam  horridum  quod  non  splendescat  oratione 

Deus  (ut  scriptum  est)  prope  est  his  qui  tribulato  sunt  corde. 
Non  admiscetur  autem  arrogantibus,  neque  insolentibus  prope  est. 
Unicuique  enim  nostri  pro  fide  diversitate  ant  proximus  est  aut  remotus. 
Spirituali  virtute  ubi  se  dignum,  8sc.  Hilarii  Lucubrationes,  Basilise, 
(Frobenius)  In  Psal.  cxxxvii.  (cxxxviii.),  p.  692.] 

U  August.  Op.  Basiliae,  1643,  Tom.  ix.  Expos,  in  Joan.  Evang.  tract. 
26,  de  cap.  vi.  col.  223,  &c.3 

Unless  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  John  vi.  63.] 

P  Understand  spiritually  (saith  he)  what  I  have  spoken.  You  are 
not  about  to  eat  this  body  which  you  see,  nor  to  drink  that  blood  which 
they  are  about  to  shed  who  shall  crucify  me.  I  have  committed  unto 
you  a  certain  sacrament:  spiritually  understood  it  shall  quicken  you. 
The  flesh  profiteth  nothing,  &c.] 

1^"'  Paradoxa,  ad  Brutum.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


et  tanquam  excolatur ' ;  as  it  may  well  be  seen  in  this  matter 
of  the  sacrament,  where  as  people  by  words  are  constrained 
to  honour  a  piece  of  bread  for  God. 

Then  my  lord  would  make  good  the  wicked  mass  by  di- 
versity of  terms,  "institution  and  tradition^,"  and  saith  that 
Paul  delivered  unto  the  Corinthians  by  tradition  the  use  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  and  would  make  the  devilish  mass  to  be 
the  tradition  of  the  apostles^  because  Paul  saith,  Cetera  cwm 
wnero  disponam^.  And  of  these  words  my  lord  would  in- 
fer, that  all  this  Romish  rites  and  usages  of  massing  were 
the  tradition  of  the  apostles :  but  the  place  serveth  nothing 
to  prove  my  lord's  purpose.  It  is  no  need  to  go  by  con- 
jectures, as  my  lord  doth,  to  interpretate  Paul's  words. 
They  mean  nothing  of  the  supper ;  for  Paul  saith  concerning 
the  use  thereof,  he  delivered  unto  them  the  thing  he  re- 
ceived of  the  Lord.  In  the  which  words  are  two  things 
to  be  noted.  First,  as  concerning  the  use  of  sacraments 
in  the  church,  it  should  be  none  otherwise  taught  nor 
ministered  unto  the  people  than  God  commandeth,  and 
that  only  God  is  the  author  of  every  sacrament,  and  hath 
prescribed  how^  they  should  be  used.    The  second  is,  that 

\}  There  is  nothing  so  incredible  that  it  may  not  be  made  probable 
by  eloquence ;  nothing  so  rough  that  it  may  not  shine  out,  and  be,  as 
it  were,  polished  by  the  power  of  speech.] 

\^  Makgodd  the  wyckyd  masse  by  diversice  of  termes  instirucion 
and  tradicion,  in  the  original.] 

p  "  And  this  word  (institution)  is  often  repeated,  and  yet  the  same 
word  (institution)  is  not  in  scripture  by  those  syllables ;  but  St  Paul 
speaketh  of  tradition,  of  the  use  of  this  sacrament,  as  he  received  it  of 
our  Lord,  Ego  enim  accept  a  Domino,  quod  et  tradidi  vobis,  '  I  have 
received  of  our  Lord,  which  I  have  by  tradition  delivered  unto  you 
whereby  and  by  that  foUoweth,  when  he  saith,  Cetera  cum  venero  dispo- 
nam,  '  I  shall  order  the  rest  when  I  come,'  it  appeareth  he  had  taught 
the  Corinthians  the  sum  of  this  high  mystery,  and  the  use  of  it,  without 
writing  before,  and  would  add  more  when  he  came ;  which  more  he 
taught,  and  yet  we  have  no  writing  of  it ;  but  the  church  hath  not  for- 
gotten it,  but  hath  taught  it  without  writing,  as  she  received  it.  And 
it  appeareth  in  that  epistle  of  St  Paul,  that,  rehearsing  such  tradition  as 
they  had  received  of  him,  he  blameth  and  reproveth  them  for  the  non- 
observation  of  it.  And  thus  much  for  the  word  institution  that  pleaseth, 
which  the  scripture  hath  not,  and  the  word  tradition  abhorred,  that 
scripture  hath;  so  as  words  go  by  favour,  as  this  matter  is  handled."  A 
Detection,  &c.  fol.  142.] 

The  rest  will  I  set  in  order  when  I  com'e.] 


BISHOP  OP  WINCHESTEr''s  BOOK. 


237 


the  Corinthians  were  before  in  all  things  aright  instructed 
according  unto  the  institution  of  Christ  in  the  use  of  the 
sacrament.  But  in  other  things  Paul  desired  the  church 
of  Corinth  to  be  reformed;  therefore  he  said,  Cetera  cum 
mnero  disponam*.  Theophylact  is  of  my  part^  But  the 
use  of  the  sacrament  was  plainly,  absolutely,  and  most 
holily  taught  and  used  before  in  their  church,  as  these  words, 
full  of  emphasis  and  virtue,  declareth  :  Ego  accepi  a  Domino 
quod  tradidi  vobis  ®.  I  wonder  what  moveth  my  lord  to  say 
Paul  meant  these  words  of  the  supper,  and  would  make  Paul 
and  the  scripture  author  of  such  abomination  as  the  mass  is 
that  now  is  used. 

Those  that  readeth  the  histories  and  writings  of  our 
elders,  knoweth  what  bishops  of  late  days  made  this  mass. 
The  apostles  and  primitive  church  did  celebrate  the  Lord's 
most  holy  supper  without  pomp  and  all  this  rabble  of 
stinking  ceremonies,  most  simply.  My  lord  should  not  be 
offended  with  those  that  would  the  supper  to  be  used  simply. 
He  should  remember  that  the  Lord  himself  and  his  apostles 
used  it  so,  with  the  prayer  of  Christ,  Pater-noster,  as  Hierome' 
and  Gregory**  testifieth ;  the  one  Lib.  iii.  contra  Pelagianos, 
the  other  Lib.  Epistolarmn  viii.  Epist.  7 

The  histories  be  plain,  what  the  bishops  of  Rome  hath 
done  in  this  matter ;  how  and  by  whom  these  ceremonies  hath 
been  augmented.  The  verb  paralamlano^  [TrapaXaixfiavw] 
that  Paul  useth,  signifieth,  as  Budseus  saith,  in  commentariis 

*H  mp\  irepcov  tiv5>v  ajxapravoiievaiv  irap  avrois  Koi  bfOfjiivaiv 
hiaTayrjs  \iyei,  fj  mpi  avrov  tovtov  (prjaiv,  on  eiKOS  eoTi'  Tivas  ciTro- 
Xoyiais  xpr)(raa-6ai  irpbs  a  eiTTOV'  aXXa  recos  fi€V  a  eiirov  (jivKaTTea-dco- 
<Tav.  El  8e  Tis  erepov  ri  e)(ei  Xeyeiv,  rfj  ip.fi  rrapovcrla  tovto  Trjpelcrdo). 
'F,K(poPe2  8e  avToiis  cos  Trapea-opevos,  iva  KaTaaraKacri  Koi  diopBdcrcoiTai, 
u  Ti  pi]  KoKSis  exocev.  In  Pauli  Epistolas  Comment,  in  loc] 
I  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  I  delivered  unto  you.] 

\J  Sic  docuit  apostolos  suos,  ut  quotidie  in  corporis  illius  sacrificio 

credentes  audeant  loqui.  Pater  noster,  &c  statim  in  prima  corporis 

communione  Christi  dicunt,  et  dimitte  nobis  dehita,  &c.  Hieron.  Op. 
Basil.  1526,  Tom.  iii.  Contra  Pelagian,  fol.  139,  A.] 

P  Orationem  vero  Dominicam  ideirco  mox  post  precem  dicimus; 
quia  mos  apostolorum  fuit  ut  ad  ipsam  solummodo  orationem  oblationis 
hostiam  consecrarent.  S.  Greg.  Op.  Par.  1672,  Tom.  ii.  col.  829,  Lib. 
VII.  Indie.  2,  Epist.  Ixiv.] 

P  prolambano,  in  the  original.] 


238 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


linguw  Grcecce,  Per  manus  traditum  accipio,  ut  successor  facif 
qui  provinciam  accipit.  Significat  et,  A  majoribus  accipio  et 
quasi  per  manus  traditum  accipio;  et,  A  majoribus  audi- 
endo  accipere^.  Paul  could  not  have  delivered  this  supper  of 
Christ  unto  the  church,  except  he  had  first  received  it,  nor 
Moses  the  law  unto  the  Israelites.  Is  this  a  godly  manner  of 
speaking,  to  say,  Moses  gave  the  law  unto  the  Jews  ?  The 
apostles  preached  the  gospel  unto  the  Jews  and  gentiles. 
Paul  preached  and  instituted  the  sacraments  commanded  by 
God.  Therefore  the  law  of  God,  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  his 
sacraments  be  the  traditions  of  Moses  and  the  apostles.  They 
speak  never  of  themselves,  and  gave  nothing  of  their  own 
brains  unto  the  churches ;  but  Moses  and  the  prophets  said 
this  alway,  Sic  dicit  Dominm^.  So  saith  Paul,  Ego  accepi 
Matt,  xxviii.  a  Domino  quod  tradidi  vohis.  And  God  took  from  the 
prophets  and  apostles  all  authority  clean,  that  they  should 
speak  nothing  in  the  church  but  as  they  were  taught:  Sic 
dices  filiis  Israel.  Prcedicate  ea  quae  ego  dixi  mhis^.  Matt, 
xxviii.  I  will  counsel  the  christian  reader  to  leave  the  books 
of  men,  and  learn  the  scripture,  who  only  teacheth  all  truth 
and  right  use  of  the  sacraments,  and  to  follow  the  counsel  of 
Cyprian*:  Si  ad  dimnce  traditionis  caput  et  originem  reverta- 
mur,  cessat  error  liumanus,  et  sacramentorum  coelestium  ratione 
perspecta,  quicquid  sub  caligine  ac  nube  tenebrarum  obscurum 
latebat,  luce  veritatis  aperitur.  *****  ffoc  ergo  oportet 
facere  Dei  smerdotes,  prcecepta  divina  sermntes,  ut  in  aliquo 
si  nutaverit  et  vacillaverit  Veritas,  ad  originem  dominicam, 
et  emngelicam  apostoUcamque  traditionem  rewrtamur,  et  inde 
surgai  actus  nostri  ratio,  unde  et  ordo  et  origo  surrexit^. 

\^  In  his  commentaries  of  the  Greek  language — I  receive  that  which 
is  handed  over  to  me,  as  doth  a  successor  pn  a  government]  who  re- 
ceiveth  a  province.  It  signifieth  also,  "  I  receive  from  ancestors."  And, 
to  receive  by  hearing  from  ancestors.] 

P  Thus  saith  the  Lord.] 

Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto  the  children  of  Israel.    Teach  them  

those  things  which  I  have  commanded  you.] 

Cypriani  Op.  Lugd.  1550,  ad  Pompon,  p.  126.] 

P  If  we  return  to  the  head  and  source  of  divine  tradition,  then 
human  error  ceaseth,  and  the  meaning  of  these  celestial  sacraments  being 
perceived,  all  that  lay  hid  under  the  mist  and  cloud  of  darkness  is  laid 
open  by  the  light  of  truth.  This,  therefore,  ought  the  priests  of  God  to 
do,  keeping  the  divine  precepts,  that  if,  in  any  respect,  truth  hath  faltered 


BISHOP   OF  WINCHESTKK''s  BOOK. 


239 


The  scripture  and  tradition  of  the  apostles  we  must  follow. 
The  mass  hath  neither  God,  nor  the  scripture,  nor  honesty 
that  defendeth  it.  For  lack  of  authority  they  jangle  an 
old  wife's  tale,  that  Gratianus^  teacheth.  Read  of  the 
foundation  and  founders  of  the  mass  more  afud  Polydorum 
Urhinam'',  de  renm  inventorihus.  Lib.  v.  cap.  9,  10.  This 
is  a  woeful  doctrine  to  preach  unto  the  people  that  lacketh 
a  father.  My  lord  telleth  a  tale®  of  Ananias  that  was  sent 
to  Paul,  Acts  ix. ;  and  of  Moses,  that  led  the  children  of  Acts  ix. 
Israel  in  the  desert,  yet  were  they  believed  of  the  people; 
but  why  ?  Ananias  said,  Saule  /rater,  Domims  misit  me 
ad  te^.  So  said  Moses.  So  said  the  prophets,  whensoever 
they  preached  or  taught  any  thing.  We  can  prove  by  the 
scripture  that  they  were  sent  from  God. 

Now  these  men  that  come  to  the  people  with  tran- 
substantiation,  we  know  by  the  scripture  they  are  against 
God  and  his  truth.  Therefore  people  must  follow  this 
commandment  of  Paul,  Omnia  probate,  quod  honum  est  tenete^". 
For  the  scripture  condemneth  those  that  preacheth  their 
own  imaginations,  and  dishonoureth  the  truth.  God  forbid 
that  any  should  condemn  Moses  or  the  prophets,  or  now 
him  that  preacheth  the  word  of  the  living  God !  He  com- 
mended Moses  and  other  that  preached  truly,  and  con- 
demneth such  as  preacheth  falsely. 

And  where  my  lord  saith'',  that  in  the  24th  of  Luke  and  Lukexxiv. 

and  wavered,  we  should  return  to  our  Lord's  authority,  and  to  evan- 
gelical and  apostolical  tradition,  and  that  the  rule  of  our  action  should 
be  taken  up  from  that  point  wherefrom  the  original  law  proceeded.] 
P  See  below,  Pol.  Virg.  cap.  12.] 

[J  Pol.  Virg.  Urb.  de  inventoribus  rerum,  Lib.  v.  cap.  10 — 12.] 
\y  "  And  aU  the  outward  teaching  in  this  church  hath  been  by  men : 
all  the  apostles  sent  to  teach  the  gospel  were  men.  St  Paul  at  his  con- 
version from  darkness  to  light,  when  it  was  said  to  him  that  it  should 
be  told  him  what  he  should  do,  then  was  Ananias  by  God  ordered  to  go 
to  Paul  and  declare  what  he  should  do.  Moses,  leader  of  the  synagogue, 
the  figure  of  our  church,  was  a  man ;  and  the  prophets  were  men."  A 
Detection,  &c.  fol.  142.] 

P  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord  sent  me  unto  thee.] 
[}"  Prove  all  things,  hold  fast  that  which  is  good,  1  Thess.  v.  21.] 
|-ii  « -yy-g  jjQ^  jj^  scripture  that  Christ  did  prescribe  any  such  pre- 
cise order  of  receiving  or  ministering :  but  as  in  his  supper  he  indeed  con- 
secrated both  kinds  and  ministered  both  kinds,  whereby  appeareth  that 
all  might  receive  both  kinds,  as  all  sometimes  have  done ;  so  likewise 
when  he  ministered  the  sacrament  to  his  disciples  in  Emmaus,  and  other 


240 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


Acts  ii.  the  2nd  of  the  Acts  that  the  supper  of  the  Lord  was  used 
under  one  kind,  of  bread,  that  is  not  so.  Though  only  bread 
be  named,  yet  was  there  wine  ministered  hkewise ;  (for  Christ 
is  Hke  unto  himself  always,  and  would  not  be  a  breaker  of 
his  own  institution,  under  both  kinds;)  though  there  be 
but  one  made  mention  of  in  this  place.  My  lord  is  not 
ignorant  that  bread  is  taken  in  the  scripture  for  the  whole 

Gen.  xviii.  feast  and  banquet,  as  we  see  Gen.  xviii.  In  the  Pater- 
noster we  say,  Panem  nostrum  quotidianum  da  nobis  hodie^, 
and  by  the  bread  understand  all  things  necessary  for  the 
body.  Victum,  pacem,  defmsionem,  honam  valettidimm^  t^c. 
This  manner  of  speech  was  also  used  among  the  gentiles, 
as  Erasmus^  writeth  in  Symbola  Pythagorce,  Panem  (inquit) 
m  frangito*  The  gentiles,  at  the  making  of  peace  and 
lowdes^,  eat  together  in  one  feast,  which  was  as  a  con- 
firmation of  the  peace.  So  doth  christian  men,  when 
they  be  at  peace  with  God  through  Christ.  And  as  the 
Ethnicks  were  admonished  to  keep  the  peace  reconciled  by 
their  sacraments,  so  be  the  Christians  also.    Why  doth 

Acts  ii.  not  my  lord  mark  these  words,  Acts  ii.  Erant  perseverantes 
in  doctrina  apostolorum  et  communicatione  et  fractione  panis 
et  precationihus^?  Why  doth  they  not  study  to  restore  the 
doctrine  of  the  apostles  into  the  church  again,  and  let 
this  adulterous  tradition  of  men  pass  ?  That  church  was 
assured  of  Christ  by  his  word  ;  and  this  church  that  men 
defend  hath  cast  out  God's  word,  and  the  apostles'  also. 

Then  my  lord  saith  by  the  authority  of  Gregory  Nazian- 
zene",  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  observe  all  things  in  the 

among  the  apostles  who  understood  Christ  (Luke  xxiv.  Acts  ii.)  we 
read  of  the  ministration  of  the  one  kind,  whereby  appeareth  that  the 
one  kind  under  the  form  of  bread  may  be  ministered  alone."  A  Detection 
&c.  fol.  146.] 

P  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.] 

P  Sustenance,  peace,  protection^  good  health,  &C.3 

P  Erasm.  Rott.  Op.  Tom.  v.  p.  341,  D.] 

\^  The  bread,  saith  he,  do  not  break.] 

^  Lowdes,  so  in  the  original.] 

They  continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine,  and  fellowship, 
and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers,  Acts  ii.  42.] 

\]  "And  because  the  devil  intendeth  to  subvert  aU,  I  shew  also  his 

sophistry  in  lower  matters  than  is  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  wherein 

he  will  have  aU  observed  as  Christ  ministered  it,  which  Gregory  Nazian- 
zene  saith  is  not  necessary;  but  we  should  herein  give  credit  to  our 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


241 


supper  as  Christ  did.  I  grant  the  same,  or  else  we  should 
have  our  feet  washed,  as  the  apostles  had.  But  let  my 
lord  prove  that  we  should  not  use  the  supper  as  a  com- 
munion distributed  unto  the  whole  church,  under  both 
kinds,  and  then  hath  my  lord  done  somewhat. 

Then  by  the  authority  of  the  prophet  Malachi",  chap,  i.,  Mai.  i. 
my  lord  would  stablish  the  mass,  and  prove  it  to  be  a  sacri- 
fice :  A  h  ortu  solis  usque  ad  occasum  magnum  est  nomen 
meum  in  gentibus,  et  in  omni  loco  incensmn  offertur  nomini  meo 
atque  ablatio  munda^^.  The  prophet's  mind  was,  that  all  the 
ceremonies  of  the  law  should  have  an  end  when  Messias  came, 
and  that  all  the  Christians  should  offer  "mwcter^^"  unto  God, 
thymiama  tel  incensam.  Now  this  word  mucMar''''  signifieth 
also  prayer.  Psalm  cxli.  Adaptetur  oratio  mea  velut  incensum  Psa).  cxii. 
ante  conspectum  tuum^~  And  the  prayer  of  the  Christians  is 
.  this  oblation  spoken  of  by  the  prophet,  and  not  the  mass. 
Nor  the  word  that  foUuweth,  "  minhah  ''V  helpetli  the  mass 
nothing  at  all,  which  signifieth  farinaceam  oblationem  sive 
molam  and  is  taken.  Psalm  cxli.,  for  the  evening  prayer.  Psai.  cxu. 
By  this  \^  ord  minhah  the  prophet  understood  the  vocation 
of  the  gentiles  unto  the  faith  of  Christ.  Non  est  mihi  in 
vobis  beneplacitum,  dicit  Dominus,  neque  acceptmn  haheo  munus 

mother,  the  church,  the  pillar  of  truth,  and  who  truly  teacheth  us  that 
is  truth :  who,  forasmuch  as  with  the  observation  of  this  feast,  in  receiv- 
ing, eating,  and  drinking  Christ's  most  precious  body  and  blood,  is  also 
celebrate  the  perpetual  only  pure  sacrifice  prophesied  by  the  prophet 
Malachi  (Mai.  i.)  to  be  observed  and  kept  continually  in  the  church 
of  Christ,  which  sacrifice  is  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Saviour  Christ ; 
the  same  church  hath  received  one  word  of  Hebrew  to  signify  all 
together,  and  used  in  the  Latin  (missa),  and  in  English  (masse),  wherein 
besides  the  glorious  presence  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  the  holy 
circumstances  used,  and  ceremonies  done,  be  also  many  godly  and  most 
devout  prayers,  &c.  &c."  A  Detection,  &c.  fol.  138.J 
See  above,  note  2.] 

From  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  unto  the  going  down  of  the  same 
my  name  shall  be  great  among  the  Gentiles ;  and  in  every  place  incense 
shall  be  offered  unto  my  name,  and  a  pure  offering :  for  my  name  shall 
be  great  among  the  heathen,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Mai.  i.  1 

Mucktar,  IQpn  Mai.  i.  11.] 

Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  before  thee  as  incense.] 

Minhah,  riHiD  Minhath,  Psal.  cxli.  2.    Donum  numini  oblatum 
spec,  sacrificium  incruentum,  opp.  nill  sacrificio  cruento.  Gesenius.] 
12"  A  farinaceous  oflFering,  or  meal  cake.] 

IG 

[hoopf.k.J 


242 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


ciborvm,  id  est,  ohlationem  de  manu  vestra,  id  est,  a  vobis 
ohlatam.  Etenim  ab  ortv,  solis  ad  occasum  ejus  usque,  id  est, 
erit  tempus  gratice,  quo  acceptabo  mimus  gentium,  quod  offerunt 
mihi,  in  omni  loco  nomini  meo  incensum  atque  mola  pura 
offertur,  (erit)  ohlatum  munus  mundum:  per  cultum  veteris  legis 
intelligit  cultum  novm,  id  est,  optimce preces  et  animce  fidelium^. 
Thus  doth  the  great  clerk,  Vatablus^,  write  in  his  annota- 
tions. Dims  Theodoretus  Episcopus  Oyrensis^  writeth  in 
this  manner:  Non  est  mihi  voluntas  in  vobis,  dicit  Dominus 
omnipotens,  (Sfc.  Funditus  vos  rejiciam,  nam  permultum 
detestor  vestra  facta ;  et  victimas,  quas  offertis,  execror,  qua- 
rum  loco  universum  orhem  terrarum  me  summa  religione  colen- 
tem  habeo.  Nam  omnium  habitatores  terrarum,  quas  sol  ex- 
oriens  et  occidens  suis  radiis  illustrat,  cum  ubique  incensum 
efferent,  turn  etiam  sacrum  purumque  mihi  gratum  confident. 
Cognoscent  enim  nomen  meum  et  voluntatem,  et  debitum  honorem 
prcestabunt,  et  accommodatum  cultum  adhihebunt.  Sic  enim 
[etiam]  Dominus  ad  Samaritanam,  Mulier,  crede  mihi,  quia 
venit  hora,  quando  nec  in  monte  hoc  neque  [^^^]  Hierosolymis 
adorabitis  Patrem.  Vos  adoratis  quod  nescitis,  nos  adoramus 
quod  scimus ;  quia  salus  eijo  Judceis  est.  8ed  venit  hora,  et 
nunc  est,  quando  veri  adoratores  adorabunt  Patrem  in  spiritu 
et  veritate.  Paulus  his  edoctus,  in  omni  loco  jubet  orare, 
levantes  puras  manus,  sine  ira  et  disceptatione.  Et  divinus 
Malachias  plane  nos  ex  his  docet  eam  pietatem,  quam  nunc 
profitemur,  in  omni  loco  obitum  iri  ;  nam  circumscriptio  loci  ad 
sacra  obeunda  deleta  est.  Omnis  locus  accommodatus  ad  Dei 
cultum  est  existimatus,  et  victimariim  ratione  carentium  ccedes 
immaculatus  agnus,  et  tanquam  signihm  virtutis  odoratum  in- 
censum existit.    Judoei  autem  juxta  Malachiw  prcedictionem 

\}  I  am  not  well  pleased  with  you,  saith  the  Lord,  nor  do  I  accept 
the  gift  of  meats,  that  is,  the  oblation,  at  your  hands,  that  is,  as  offered 
by  you.  For  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  unto  the  going  down  of 
the  same  [&c.],  that  is,  there  shall  be  a  season  of  grace  in  which  I  will 
accept  the  offering  of  the  gentiles  which  they  offer  unto  me,  in  every 
place,  [as]  incense  to  my  name  and  a  pure  cake  is  offered,  there  shall 
be  offered  a  clean  gift.  By  the  worship  of  the  old  law  he  indicates  the 
worship  of  the  new,  that  is,  the  best  prayers  and  aspirations  of  the 
faithful.] 

Vatabli  Com.  in  loco.   Lutetiae  1645,  fol.  151.] 
P  Theodoreti  Op.  Colonise,  1617,  Tom.  i.  Interpret,  in  Malach. 
cap.  I.  p.  504.] 


BISHOI'   OP    WIXOHESTEk's  BOOK. 


243 


rejecti  sunt :  ideo  [^quare  eis  dicit^  nomen  memi  (inqiiit)  map- 
num  inter  gentes  [m  ffentibus.'\  *  The  prophet  never  meant, 
nor  none  other  learned  man  that  knoweth  the  tongues,  to 
bring  a  Jewish  ceremony  into  the  church  of  the  gentiles, 
and  to  inclose  Christ  in  this  mealy  sacrifice  of  the  altar. 
Read  the  twelfth  chapter  of  Paul  to  the  Romans,  and  see 
what  sacrifice  is  required  of  the  Christian. 

My  lord  hath  the  sound  of  one  word  more  of  the 
Hebrew,  "il/*ssaA\'"  and  would  that  the  sacrifice  in  the  law 
called  missah  should  be  a  figure  and  type  of  this  popish 
mass.  Fades  solemnitatem  hebdomadarum  Domino  Deo  tuo 
mm  levatione  noluntaria  manus  tuce,  quam  dahis  secundum 
quod  benedixerit  te  Dominus  Deus  tuus'',  Deut.  xvi.  God  neut.  wi. 
commanded  in  the  end  of  harvest  to  celebrate  this  solemn 
feast,  and  to  offer  unto  the  Lord  part  of  every  grain  that 
came  of  the  earth  ;  not  only  because  they  should  give  him 

Q**  I  have  no  pleasure  in  you,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  &c.  Utterly 
will  I  reject  you,  for  I  greatly  detest  your  deeds,  and  I  abhor  the  victims 
which  you  offer ;  in  the  place  whereof  I  have  the  whole  circle  of  the 
earth  worshipping  me  with  deepest  reverence.  For  the  inhabitants  of 
all  the  lands  which  the  rising  or  the  setting  sun  illuminates  with  his 
beams,  wheresoever  they  shall  offer  incense,  there  also  they  shall  render 
as  holy  and  pure  that  which  is  grateful  unto  me.  For  they  shall  know 
my  name  and  my  will,  and  shall  pay  me  due  honour,  and  render  be- 
fitting worship.  Thus  also  the  Lord  to  the  woman  of  Samaria  [said,] 
"  Woman,  believe  me,  the  hour  cometh  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this 
mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father.  Ye  worship  ye 
know  not  what ;  we  know  what  we  worship  :  for  salvation  is  of  the 
Jews.  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers 
shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  Paul,  instructed  by 
this,  enjoins  us  to  "  pray  every  where,  lifting  up  holy  hands  without  wrath 
and  doubting."  And  the  divine  Malachi  clearly  teacheth  us  in  these  [his 
words,  Mai.  i.  11]  that  that  religion  which  we  now  profess,  shall  be 
exercised  in  every  place ;  for  the  restriction  of  place  in  performing  sacred 
rites  is  done  away.  Every  place  is  accounted  proper  for  the  worship  of 
God,  and  for  the  sacrifice  of  victims  void  of  reason  is  the  immaculate 
Lamb,  and  the  odoriferous  incense  standeth  for  a  sign  of  virtue.  But  the 
Jews  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Malachi  were  cast  oflF  :  therefore  m.v 
name,  saith  he,  shall  be  great  among  the  gentiles.] 

Missah,  PiDD,  missath,  tributum,  Deut.  xvi.  10.] 
Thou  shalt  keep  the  feast  of  weeks  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  witli 
tlie  tribute  of  a  free-will  offering  of  thine  hand,  which  thou  shalt  give 
unto  the  Loi-d  thy  God,  according  as  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  blessed 
thee,  Deut.  xvi.  10.] 

1  G— 


244 


ANSWER  TO  THE 


thanks  for  the  preservation  of  the  people  from  hunger  and 
famine,  but  also  to  acknowledge  him  to  give  all  things  only, 
and  not  to  attribute  the  plenteous  and  abundant  harvest  unto 
fortune,  as  the  Epicures  doth ;  and  likewise  to  confess  that 
his  grace  and  favour  maketh  rich,  and  his  displeasure  poor ; 
and  not  to  attribute  the  gifts  they  received  unto  the  second 
causes,  as  the  Stoics  doth,  that  say  God  is  bound  to  do  as  the 
second  cause  is  disposed.  It  is  not  so :  for  he  can  make 
scarcity  and  need  of  corn  where  as  is  good  fertile  ground,  and 
abundance  in  the  barren  fields.  And  now,  if  an  oaten  or 
barley  sheaf  that  was  offered  for  the  purpose  that  I  have 
shewed,  figured  the  mass,  let  the  christian  reader  judge. 

I  marvel  my  lord  is  so  full  of  allegories,  and  speaketh 
nothing  of  the  text ;  when  an  allegory  proveth  nothing,  but  is 
used  to  declare  the  thing  that  we  would  prove.  Let  him 
first  prove  his  proposition  by  the  scripture,  and  then  I  will 
admit  the  figurative  locution,  as  truth  shall  force  me. 

My  lord,  in  the  end  of  his  book,  speaketh  of  "  them  that 
study  to  impugn  this  stablished  verity  (as  he  calleth  it)  of 
the  church,  the  ministration  of  the  sacrament  under  one 
kind and  then  saith :  "  They  err  not  only  in  that  high 
matter  of  the  sacrament,  but  also  in  ceremonies ;  and 
namely,  such  as  garnish  Christ's  religion,  wherein  he  saith 
the  devil  useth  a  marvellous  point  of  sophistry  by  division 
and  examining  parts  alone,  which  parts  so  considered  seve- 
rally be  nothing,  and  yet  joined  together  be  somewhat',  &c." 
My  lord  "  will  open  this  point  of  sophistry,"  he  saith, 
"  which  consisteth  in  division  between  the  whole  and  the 
part,""  and  putteth  this  example :  "If  one  were  asked 
whether  a  farthing  would  make  a  rich  man,  a  simple  man 
would  say.  Nay,  &c."  Then  maketh  he  his  simile :  Likewise 
"in  the  discussion  of  ceremonies,  seemliness,  and  orders, 
the  devil  frameth  his  questions  by  division,  and  asketh  of 
each  thing  alone as  for  example,  whether  a  shaven  crown 
maketh  a  priest  ?  Then  answer  is  made,  Nay.  Doth  a 
long  gown  make  a  priest?  Nay."  And  so  forth,  as  my 
lord  telleth  his  tale. 

P  A  Detection,  &c.  fol.  148,  &c.] 

P  Like  wyssein  the  discussion  of  ceremonyes,  semelynys,  and  oders,, 
the  devyll  fFramy  the  his  questions  l)y  de  vysyon  and  as  kythe  of  eche 
thyng  alone,  in  the  original.] 


BISHOP  OF  Winchester's  book. 


245 


My  lord  hath  well  opened  a  point  of  sophistry,  doubtless, 
as  he  that  meant  nothing  else  but  to  set  a  witched  candle 
before  the  eyes'*  of  the  simple,  that  they  should  not  see  the 
truth,  and  would  carry  them  by  sophistry  whither  he  listeth. 
He  that  will  argue  of  a  similitude,  must  put  always  two 
things  alike,  that  the  one  may  open  the  other.  Now,  my 
lord  maketh  a  comparison  of  two  things  unlike,  as  the  quali- 
ties of  gall  should  in  sweetness  be  compared  unto  the  quali- 
ties of  honey.  Every  man  knoweth  that  this  is  true,  in 
twenty  pound  necessarily  to  be  contained  twenty  nobles, 
twenty  groats,  twenty  pence,  twenty  halfpence,  and  twenty 
farthings,  and  not  possible  to  have  the  greater  sum  without 
the  less.  Is  the  like  in  the  dignity  of  a  bishop  or  priest, 
suppose  ye,  that  whosoevBr  was,  or  is  a  good  priest,  must 
have  necessarily  that  shaven  crown  and  long  gown  ?  I 
report  me  to  the  scripture.  They  be  neither  necessary  nor 
commendable  signs  to  know  a  priest  by.  As  thou  knowest 
the  less  number  to  be  comprehended  in  the  more,  so  be  these 
virtues  comprehended  in  a  true  bishop,  and  not  a  crown : 
Maritus  unius  uscoris,  vic/ilantia,  sobrietas,  modestia,  temper-  \  Tim.  iii. 
antia^  hospitalitas* ,  1  Tim.  iii.  Tit.  i.  What  devil  hath  '" 
made  a  crown,  a  long  gown,  or  a  tippet,  to  be  a  thing  neces- 
sary for  a  bishop  ?  Restore  it  to  Rome  again,  from  whence 
it  came,  and  divide  the  whole  into  his  parts  by  the  scripture. 

My  lord  speaketh  of  John  Frith  and  others'*,  and 
saith  they  made  the  sacraments  acts  indifferent,  to  be 
used  and  not  to  be  used  as  it  pleaseth  man.  I  would  to 
our  Lord,  my  lord  of  Winchester  spake,  neither  wrote, 
more  ungodly  of  the  sacraments  than  they !  There  was  a 
sort  of  heretics  called  Enthusiastce,  that  were  of  that  ill 
opinion ;    but  not  Tyndall,  Frith,  nor  none  other  that 

P  a  whicche  candell  before  the  lyes,  in  the  original.] 

The  husband  of  one  wife,  vigilance,  sobriety,  modesty,  temperance, 
hospitality,  &c.] 

[°  The  bishop  of  Winchester  speaks  of  these  men  in  no  very  measured 

terms:  "Hath  not  Frith,  in  a  detestable  book        defamed  Tertulhan, 

&c.  ?  And  hath  not  CEcolampadius  most  maliciously  and  untruly,  in 
falsely  reporting  those  holy  men,  attempted  the  same  ?  fol.  82 — Joye, 
Bale,  Turner,  or  such  like,  the  devil's  limbs — the  blasphemy  of  some 
such  wretches,  as  most  villainously  write,  speak,  and  (as  they  dare)  jest 
at  this  day,  fol.  84.] 


246 


ANSWER   TO  THE 


writeth  or  hath  wroten  in  our  days,  except  the  ungodly 
anabaptists' 

And  as  for  that  my  lord  saith  Bucer,  Luther,  and 
many  other,  with  the  whole  church  of  truth,  be  against 
such  as  would  have  no  corporal  presence  of  Chrisfs  body 
in  the  sacrament ;  the  church  of  truth  is  with  them,  and 
the  word  of  God,  as  every  man  may  see  and  read  in  their 
works:  and  that  those  great  learned  men  be  against  them 
and  the  truth  in  this  matter,  it  is  an  argument  that  faith 
is  the  sole  gift  of  God,  and  cometh  not  into  the  soul  of 
man  because  he  is  learned,  but  because  his  name  is  wroten 

Rev.  xiii.  in  the  book  of  life,  and  preserved  by  grace,  that  he  honour 
not  the  beast  that  blasphemeth  the  living  God.  Apoc.  xiii. 
God  shall  open  both  their  eyes,  and  my  lord's  also,  to  see 
the  truth,  when  it  shall  be  his  blessed  pleasure  ;  for  the 
which  every  man  is  bound  to  pray  that  knoweth  the  truth 
in  this  matter,  and  not  to  boast  nor  brag  his  knowledge, 
but  to  remember  he  standeth  only  by  the  mercy  of  God 

Rom.  XI.  and  faith.  Let  him  beware  he  fall  not,  according  to  the 
commandment  of  Paul,  Rom.  xi. 

He  that  is  persuaded  in  Jhis  conscience  by  the  word 
of  God,  that  he  knoweth  God  and  his  sacraments,  I  ex- 
hort him  in  Christ  to  follow  and  obey  the  word  of  God, 
and  live  thereafter,  that  the  word  be  not  slandered  by 
his  ungodly  life ;  and  beware  he  fall  not  from  one  ill  into 
a  worse  ill,  from  a  papist  to  be  a  libertine ;  but  as  he  in- 
creaseth  in  knowledge,  so  to  increase  in  godly  and  virtuous 
life,  remembering  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  consisteth 
not  in  words,  but  in  the  doing  and  practising  of  God's 

Eccics.  xii.  will  and  commandment.  Eccles.  xii.  Finis  universes  rei 
auditus  est:  Devm  ergo  time,  et  prcecepta  ejus  custodi,  siqui- 
dem  hoc  omnis  homo  {facere  debety     Let  every  man  fear 

[}  These  "  ungodly  anabaptists"  were  a  sect  whom  Mosheim  charac- 
terises as  "  seditious  and  pestilential,  furious  and  fanatical,  whose  tumul- 
tuous and  desperate  attempts  were  equally  pernicious  to  the  cause  of 
religion  and  the  civil  interests  of  mankind."  Their  chief  leaders  were 
Munzer,  Stubner  and  Storck.  Menno  subsequently  reformed  them,  but 
their  enthusiastic  character  remained  unchanged.] 

U  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter :  Fear  God,  and 
keep  his  commandments;  for  this  ought  every  man  to  do.  Eccles. 
xii.  13.] 


BISHOP  OP  Winchester's  book. 


247 


of  the  sentence  that  foUoweth,  wherewithal  Solomon  con- 
cludeth  his  book :  Nam  omne  opus  adducet  Dem  in  judi- 
cium una  cum  omni  secreto,  sive  honum  sit  sive  malum^. 

At  that  day  it  shall  avail  nothing  the  gospeller  to 
isay,  Lord,   I  knew  thy  truth,  and  jollily  prated  of  the 
same  against  the  papist  and  such  as  defended  idolatry 
and  superstition;  now  give  me  the  joys  that  the  gospel 
promised.     No !   it  shall  be  said  unto  him,  Depart  in 
the  devil's  name,  thou  wicked  person,  to  eternal 
pain ;  for  all  thy  religion  was  in  the  tongue  : 
no  man  can  possess  the  joys  promised 
in  the  gospel,    but  such  as  study 
with  all  diligence  to  live  af- 
ter the  gospel,  as  God 
give  us  all  grace 
so  to  do ! 
Amen. 

Psalm  cxix. 

Bonum  mihi,  JDomine,  lex  oris  tui  quam 
multa  talmta  nummorum  aureo- 
rum  et  argenteorwm. 

P  For  Grod  shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret 
thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil.  Eccles.  xii.  14.^ 


CORRIGENDA. 


In  page  118,  note  7  was  intended  to  have  been  printed  thus : — 

^  Hugo,  probably  Hugo  Lingonensis,  or  Hugh  de  Langres,  who 
lived  in  the  11th  century,  and  wrote  against  Berenger.  Hugh  de  St 
Victor  also  wrote  on  the  Sacraments,  &c. 

The  treatise  of  Hugo  Lingonensis  is  in  the  appendix  to  Lanfranc's 
works.  See  Lanfranci  Op.  Lutetiae  Parisiis.  1548.  App.  p.  68. 

In  p.  182,  note  4,  line  5,  for  refertories  read  refectories. 


DECLARATION 

OF  THE 

HOLY  COMMANDMENTS 

OP 

ALMIGHTY  GOD. 


of  tt^t  ttn  tolB  (omautttre^ 

ten  lExo.  20.  Beu.  5.  CoIkctgU 
nut  0f  ti)c  itrtjiturc  Ca» 
noniran,  iig  3oan» 

Cum,  anH  iSe:  ^oan.  1. 
Anno  M.D.XLVIir. 


LTitle  page  to  the  edition  of  1548.] 


The  date  on  the  title  page  is  1548,  but  the  preface  is  dated 
Nov.  5,  1549.] 


ration   of  ifft  X, 
})olpe  rommautttre-- 

mcnt)S  0f  ^Imig|)ti}  (3ats 
bivittm  (Sj:a.  yy.  Beu.  b. 
€alUtUts  mtt  af  fi)t  ^nrtji-- 
tuxe  Canonttall,  bp  9alin 
i§0tiiiEr,  tott^  tertagnc 
tu&)  alTdtcianS  maist 
6g  t|)C  Baltic  xaaiSttt 

Cum,  antf  iSc :  3al)n.  t. 

vi«no.  M.D.L. 


LTitle  page  to  the  eiUtion  of  1650'.] 


\y  There  appears  to  have  been  more  than  one  impression  of  this 
date.] 


A 

Declaration  of  the  X 

liolie  commaundements 

of  Almightie  God  written 
Exod.  20.  Deut.  5. 

COLLECTED 
out  of  the  scripture  cano- 

nicall,  by  John  Houper,  with 
certaine  new  additions 
made  by  the  same  Mai- 
ster  Houper. 

Come  and  see :  John,  1. 

AT  LONDON; 
Imprinted  by  Robert 

Wnlde-graue,  for  Tho- 
mas Woodcocke. 

[Title  page  to  the  edition  of  1588^] 

[}  This  is  said  to  be  the  date  of  it,  but  perhaps  without  sufficient 
authority.    The  book  itself  has  no  date.] 


[In  preparing  the  Declaration  of  the  Ten  Holy  Com- 
mandments for  the  press,  the  foreign  edition  of  1548^, 
that  of  (Richard  Jugge)  London,  1550,  and  the  later 
edition  "  imprinted  at  London  by  Robert  Walde-grave, 
for  Thomas  Woodcocke,"  (1588,)  have  been  carefully  collated. 
The  second  named  of  these  three  old  editions  seems  to 
be  in  general  an  exact  reprint  of  the  edition  of  1548  ; 
except  that  in  the  seventh  commandment  some  additional 
matter  is  given,  and  at  the  close  of  the  treatise  a  few 
sentences  relating  to  the  difficulty  experienced  in  printing 
an  English  treatise  at  a  foreign  press,  are  omitted.  The 
edition  of  1588  appears  to  be  nearly  a  reprint  of  the 
former  editions,  with  the  addition  of  marginal  notes  and 
references. 

The  text  of  the  rare  edition  of  1550  has  been 
followed  in  this  reprint,  as  being  that  which  received 
Hooper's  own  corrections  and  additions.  Occasionally  the 
readings  in  the  foreign  edition  have  been  adopted,  where 
they  were  evidently  more  correct,  and  the  marginal  notes 
and  texts  in  the  margin  have  been  added  from  the 
edition  of  1588.  References  will  be  made  to  the  differ- 
ent editions  by  the  letters  A,  B,  C,  in  the  order  above 
given.] 

"The  date  is  a  misprint,  especially  as  the  'Epistle  unto  the 
Chrystiane  Reader'  is  dated  5  Novembris  Anno  M.D.XLIX.  in  this 
ns  in  (the)  two  other  editions."  Lowndes.] 


THE  TABLE. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

The  Preface. 

I.  What  the  law  is   271 

II.  The  use  of  the  law   281 

III.  A  preparation  unto  the  Ten  C'ominandments  ....  28(5 

IV.  The  First  Commandment   29."> 

V.  The  Second  Commandment   81  fS 

VI.  The  Third  Commandment   .322 

VII.  The  Fourth  Commandment   .3.37 

VIII.  The  Second  Table   .3.51 

IX.  The  Sixth  Commandment   .367 

X.  The  Seventh  Commandment   .374 

XI.  The  Eighth  Commandment   .'i87 

XII.  The  Ninth  Commandment   405 

XIII.  The  Tenth  Commandment   400 

CERTAIN  OBJECTIONS  THAT  KEEPETH  MAN  FROM 
THE  OBEDIENCE  OF  GOD'S  LAWS  SOLUTED. 

XIV.  1.    Of  time  and  place   41,3 

XV.  2.    Exception  of  persons    .    .    •    .    ,   414 

XVI.  .3.    Presumption   415 

XVII.  4.    Curiosity   419 

XVIII.  5.    Desperation   422 

XIX.  C.    Ignorance     .    .    42'i 


UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


I  COMMEND  here  unto  thy  charity  and  godly  love,  Chris-  ^^V^/ 
tian  reader,  the  Ten  Commandments  of  Almighty  God, 
written  Exod.  xx.  and  Deut.  v.,  the  which  were  given  to 
this  use  and  end,  diligently  to  be  learned  and  religiously 
observed.   Deut.  iv.  Matt.  vii.    My  mind  and  commentaries  oeut.  iv.  is. 

1       •  1     •    1  1      •      Matt. vii.  I'.!. 

m  them  1  beseech  thee  to  read  with  judgment,  and  give 
sentence  with  knowledge ;  as  I  doubt  nothing  at  all  of  thy 
charity  or  good  willing  heart  towards  me  and  all  well- 
meaning  persons.  But  forasmuch  as  there  can  be  no  con- 
tract, peace,  alliance,  or  confederacy  between  two  persons 
or  more,  except  first  the  persons  that  will  contract  agree 
within  themselves  upon  such  things  as  shall  be  contracted, 
as  thou  right  well  knowest ;  also,  seeing  these  ten  com-  what  the 
mandments  are  nothing  else  but  the  tables  or  writings  that 

contain. 

contain  the  conditions  of  the  peace  between  God  and  man. 

Gen.  xix.,  and  declareth  at  large  how  and  to  what  the  persons  Gen.  xix. 

named  in  the  writings  are  bound  unto  the  other.  Gen.  xvii.  Gen.  xvii.  7. 

and  xxii.  IB. 

xxii.  Jer.  vii.,  "  I  will  be  [your]  God,  and  you  shall  be  my  Jer.  vii.  23. 
people      God  and  man  are  knit  together  and  unite  in  one  ; 
it  is  necessary  to  know  how  God  and  man  was  made  at 
one,  that  such  conditions  could  be  agreed  upon  and  con- 
firmed with  such  solemn  and  public  evidences,  as  these 

tables  be,  written  with  the  finger  of  God.     The  contents  The  condi- 
tion onGod's 

whereof  bind  God  to  aid  and  succour,  keep  and  preserve, 
warrant  and  defend  man  from  all  ill,  both  of  body  and 
soul,  and  at  the  last  to  give  him  eternal  bhss  and  ever- 
lasting felicity.    Exodi  xix.  Deut.  iv.  Matt.  xi.  John  iii.  iv.  Exod.  xix. 

.J,     vi  Dent.  iv.  20. 

^-  Matt.  xi.  28. 

Man  is  bound  of  the  other  part,  to  obey,  serve,  and  The  condi- 
tion on 

keep  God's  commandments;  to  love  him,  honour  him,  and  """"'M^rt. 


256 


UNTO   THE    CHRISTIAN  READER. 


fear  him  above  all  things.  Were  there  not  love  and  amity 
between  God  and  man  first,  the  one  would  not  bind  himself 
to  be  master,  neither  the  other  to  be  servant  in  such  a 
friendly  and  blessed  society  and  fellowship  as  these  tables 
contain.  Before  therefore  they  were  given,  God  com- 
manded Moses  to  go  down  from  the  mount  Sinai  to  the 
people,  to  know  of  them  whether  they  would  confederate 
Kxod.  xix.  and  enter  alliance  with  him  or  not.  Exod.  xix.,  &c.  Moses 

3,  &c.  ' 

did  the  message,  as  God  bade  him,  whereunto  the  people 
altogether  consented.  So  that  it  was  fully  agreed  upon, 
that  God  should  be  their  God,  and  they  his  servants,  with 
certain  conditions,  containing  the  ofiice  of  them  both :  God 
to  make  them  a  peculiar  people,  to  prefer  them  above  all 
nations  of  the  earth,  to  make  them  a  princely  priesthood 
and  a  holy  people ;  their  office  to  obey,  and  observe  his 
holy  will  and  pleasure.   Deut.  iv.  Exod.  xix. 

Here  see  we  the  alliance  and  confederacy  made  between 
God  and  man,  and  the  writings  given ;  likewise  how  it  was 
For  whom   made.    But  wherefore  it  was  made,  and  for  whose  merits, 

the  law  was 

^ven  ^"'^  these  texts  we  see  not :  why  God  should  love  man, 

that  so  neglected  his  commandments,  favoured  and  loved, 

Gen. iii.     believed  and  trusted  better  the  devil  than  God,  Gen.  iii.; 

so  far  offended  the  divine  majesty  of  God,  and  degenerated 
from  grace  and  godliness  by  custom  of  sin  and  contempt  of 
God,  that  he  bewailed  and  repented  that  ever  he  made 

Gen.vi.  6.  man.  Gen.  vi.,  and  decreed  to  destroy  the  creature  man, 
that  he  created,  as  he  did  indeed :  not  only  thus  destroying 
man,  but  also  protested  openly,  that  better  it  had  been 

Matt.xxvi.  Judas  never  to  have  been  born.    Matt.  xxvi.    And  in  the 

24. 

25th  chapter  of  the  same  gospel  the  displeasure  of  God  is 
declared  so  great,  that  he  appointeth  man  to  another  end 
than  he  was  created  for,  saying,  "  Depart,  ye  doers  of 
iniquity,  from  me  unto  eternal  fire,  prepared,"  not  for  man, 
but  "  for  the  devil  and  his  angels." 


UNTO  THE   CHRISTIAN  READER. 


257 


What  is  now  more  contrary  one  to  the  other,  and 
farther  at  debate,  than  God  and  man,  that  now  we  see 
bound  in  league  together  as  very  friends  ?  Moses,  Deut.  ix.,  peut.  ix.  5. 
sheweth  that  only  mercy  provoked  God  unto  this  alliance,  oniy  mercy 

provoked 

to  receive  them  into  grace,  deliver  them  out  of  Egypt,  cmell^^ 
and  to  possess  the  plenteous  land  of  Canaan :  further, 
that  God  found  just  matter  and  occasion  to  expulse  the 
inhabitants  of  that  land,  and  found  no  merits  in  the  Israel- 
ites to  give  it  them  ;  for  they  were  a  stiff-necked  people,  and 
intractable,  as  Moses  layeth  to  their  charge.    Deut.  ix.  Deut.  ix.  6. . 
Howbeit  God,  having  respect  only  unto  his  promises  made 
unto  Adam,  Abraham,  and  his  posterity,  measured  not  his  GenMii.  \5. 
mercy  according  to  the  merits  of  man,  who  was  nothing  f-  ^- 
but  sin,  looked  always  upon  the  justice  and  deservings, 
innocency  and  perfection  of  the  blessed  Seed  promised  unto 
Adam,  Gen.  iii.,  and  unto  Abraham,  Gen.  xii.  xv.  xvii. 

God  put  the  death  of  Christ  as  a  means  and  arbiter  of  The  death 

^  ^  _  of  Christ 

this  peace,  Heb.  ix.  "  For  the  testament  availeth  not,  except  H|i)'"fjf"28 
it  be  confirmed  by  the  death  of  him  that  maketh  the  testa- 
ment."     The  which  death  in  the  judgment  of  God  was 
accepted  as  a  satisfaction  for  sin  from  the  beginning  of 
Adam's  fall,  as  Paul  saith,  Chrisfs  priesthood  was  and 
is  like  unto  Melchizedec,  that  had  neither  beginning  nor 
ending,  bound  neither  to  time  neither  to  place,  as  the  priest- 
hood of  Aaron.    But  as  God  accounted  in  Adam's  sin  all 
mankind,  being  in  his  loins,  worthy  death ;  so  he  accounted 
in  Christ  all  to  be  saved  from  death,  Apoc.  xiii.,  as  Adam  Rev.  xiii.  8. 
declareth  by  the  name  of  his  wife,  calling'  her  Heva,  "  the  Gen.  lii.  20. 
mother  of  the  living,"  and  not  of  the  dead.   Gen.  iii. 

AH  these  promises,  and  other  that  appertained  unto  the  au  the  pro- 
mises made 

salvation  of  Adam  and  his  posterity,  were  made  in  Christ  j^^j^^P^ 
and  for  Christ  only,  and  appertained  unto  our  fathers  and 
us,  as  we  appertained  unto  Christ.     "  He  is  the  door,  the  John  x.  9. 
way,  and  the  life."  John  x.  xiv.     He  only  is  the  mediator  John  xiv.  6. 

[}  Calling,  C.    Called,  A  and  B.] 

[HOOPER.  J 


258  UNTO   THE  CHRISTIAN  BEA.DER. 

between  God  and  man,  without  whom  no  man  can  come  to 
John  iii' 16  Father  celestial.  John  i.  iii.  vi.  Because  the  promises 
foha  vi.  32.  of  Grod  appertained  unto  our  fathers,  forasmuch  as  they  like- 

&C 

wise  unto  Christ;  hitherunto  and  for  ever  they  were  preserved 
from  hell  and  the  pains  due  unto  Adam's  sin  in  him,  for 
whose  sake  the  promise  was  made.   The  means  of  our  peace 

i3ai.iiii.4,5.  and  reconciliation  with  God  is  only  in  Christ,  as  Esay  saith, 
cap.  liii.,  "  by  whose  passion  we  are  made  whole."  Therefore 
Christ  is  called  by  John  the  Baptist,  "  The  Lamb  that 

John  i.  9.    taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."   John  i. 

And  as  the  devil  found  nothing  in  Christ  that  he 

johnxiv.30,  could  Condemn,  John  xiv.,  likewise  now  he  hath  nothing 
in  us  worthy  damnation,  because  we  be  comprehended  and 
fully  inclosed  in  him ;  for  we  be  his  by  faith.  All  these  that 
be  comprehended  under  the  promise  belong  unto  Christ. 
And  as  far  extendeth  the  virtue  and  strength  of  God's 
promise  to  save  man,  as  the  rigour  and  justice  of  the  law 
for  sin  to  damn  man.  "  For  as  by  the  offence  and  sin  of 
one  man  death  was  extended  and  made  common  unto  all 

Rom.  V.  17,  men  unto  condemnation,"  as  Paul  saith  Rom.  v.,  "  so 
by  the  justice^  of  one  is  derived  life  into  all  men  to  justi- 
fication." 

The  words  of  the  promise  made  unto  Adam  and  Abra- 
ham confirmeth  the  same :  they  are  these :  "  I  wiU  put 
enmity  and  hatred  between  thee  and  the  woman,  between 
thy  seed  and  the  woman's  seed,  and  her  seed  shall  break  thy 
Gen.  iii.  15.  head."  Gen.  iii.  For  as  we  were  in  Adam  before  his  fall, 
and  should,  if  he  had  not  sinned,  been  of  the  same  in- 
nocency  and  perfection  that  he  was  created  in ;  so  were 
we  in  his  loins,  when  he  sinned,  and  participant  of  his  sin. 
And  as  we  were  in  him,  and  partakers  of  the  ill ;  so  were  we 
in  him  when  God  made  him  a  promise  of  grace,  and  par- 
takers of  the  same  grace,  not  as  the  children  of  Adam,  but 
as  the  children  of  the  promise.  As'^  the  sins  of  Adam  with- 
Justice:  righteousness.]  As,  C.   And,  A  and  B.] 


UNTO   THE   CHRISTIAN  READER. 


269 


out  privilege  or  exception  extended  and  appertained  unto 
all  Adam's  and  every  of  Adam's  posterity;   so  did  this 
promise  of  grace  generally  appertain  as  well  to  every  and 
singular  of  Adam's  posterity,  as  to  Adam;  as  it  is  more 
plainly  expressed,  Gen.  xv.  xvii.,  where  God  promiseth  to  Gen.  xv.  4, 
bless  in  the  seed  of  Abraham  all  the   people   of  the  ^-^j  ... 
world;  and  Paul  maketh  no  diversity  in  Christ  of  Jew coi.iii.  11. 
nor  Gentile. 

Farther,  it  was  never  forbid,  but  that  all  sorts  of  people 
and  of  every  progeny  in  the  world  to  be  made  partakers  of 
the  Jews'  religion  and  ceremonies.  Farther,  Saint  Paul, 
Rom.  v.,  doth  by  collation  of  Adam  and  Christ,  sin  and  Rom.  v.  15. 
grace,  thus  interpretate  God's  promise,  and  maketh  not 
Christ  inferior  to  Adam,  nor  grace  unto  sin.  If  all  then 
shall  be  saved,  what  is  to  be  said  of  those  that  Saint  Peter 
speaketh  of,  2  Pet.  ii.,  that  shall  perish  for  their  false  2  Pet.  ii. 
doctrine  ?  And  likewise  Christ  saith,  that  the  gate  is  strait 
that  leadeth  to  life,  and  few  enter.  Matt.  vii. 

Thus  the  scripture  answereth,  that  the  promise  of  grace 
appertaineth  unto  every  sort  of  men  in  the  world,  and  com- 
prehendeth  them  all ;  howbeit  within  certain  limits  and 
bounds,  the  which  if  men  neglect  or  pass  over,  they  exclude 
themselves  from  the  promise  in  Christ :  as  Cain  was  no 
more  excluded,  till  he  excluded  himself,  than  Abel ;  Saul 
than  David;  Judas  than  Peter;  Esau  than  Jacob;  though^ 
Mai.  i.,  Rom.  ix.  it  seemeth  that  the  sentence  of  God  was  Mai.  i.  2, 3. 

Rom.  ix.  13. 

given  to  save  the  one  and  to  damn  the  other,  before  the 

one  loved  God,  or  the  other  hated  God.    Howbeit  these 

threatenings  of  God  against  Esau,  if  he  had  not  of  his  wilful 

mahce  excluded  himself  from  the  promise  of  grace,  should 

no  more  have  hindered  his  salvation,  than  God's  threatenings 

against  Ninive,  J onah  i. ;  which  notwithstanding  that  God 

said  should  be  destroyed  within  forty  days,  stood  a  great  Jonah  i.  2. 

time  after,  and  did  penance. 

P  Though,  A.    Through,  B.    By  the  scripture,  C] 

17—2 


260 


UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


Esau  was  circumcised,  and  presented  unto  the  church 
of  God  by  his  father  Isaac  in  all  external  ceremonies,  as  well 
as  Jacob ;  and  that  his  life  and  conversation  was  not  as  agree- 
able unto  justice  and  equity  as  Jacob's,  the  sentence  of  God 
Gen.  XXV.    unto  Rebecca,  Gen.  xxv.  was  not  in  the  fault,  but  his  own 

23.  '  ' 

malice.  For  there  is  mentioned  nothing  at  all  in  that  place, 
Gen.  XXV.,  that  Esau  was  disinherited  of  eternal  life,  but  that 
he  should  be  inferior  unto  his  brother  Jacob  in  this  world ; 
which  prophecy  was  fulfilled  in  their  posterities,  and  not  in 
the  persons  themselves. 

Of  this  acceptation  of  the  one  and  reprobation  of  the 
other,  concerning  the  promises  of  the  earth,  speaketh  Malachi 
the  prophet,  as  the  beginning  of  his  book  declareth,  speaking 

Mai.  i.  23.  in  this  wiso :  "  I  have  loved  you,  saith  the  Lord  :  and  ye 
say.  Wherein  hast  thou  loved  us  ? "  God  answereth  :  "  Was 
not  Esau  J acob's  brother  ?  saith  the  Lord ;  notwithstand- 
ing I  loved  Jacob,  and  hated  Esau."  Wherein  hated  God 
Esau !  The  prophet  sheweth  :  "  I  have  made  his  possession, 
that  was  the  mount  Seir,  desolate  as  a  desert  or  wilderness 
of  dragons."  Malachi  i.  The  which  happened  in  the  time  of 
Nabuchodonosor.  Wherein  he  loved  Jacob,  the  text  declareth. 
God  transferred  the  right  and  title  that  appertained  unto 
Esau,  the  elder  brother,  to  Jacob  the  younger :  likewise  the 
land  that  was  promised  unto  Abraham  and  Isaac,  was  by 
legacy  and  testament  given  unto  Jacob  and  his  posterities. 

Gen.  XXV.    Gen.  XXV.  xxvii. 

23.  and 

Rom.' fx.' Ill  Saint  Paul,  Rom.  ix.,  useth  this  example  of  Jacob  and 
^'  Esau  for  none  other  purpose,  but  to  take  away  from  the 
Jews  the  thing  that  they  most  put  their  trust  in  ;  to  say, 
the  vain  hope  they  had  in  the  carnal  lineage  and  natural 
descent  from  the  family  and  household  of  Abraham,  and 
likewise  their  false  confidence  they  had  in  the  keeping  of 
the  law  of  Moses.  Paul's  whole  purpose  is,  in  that  epistle, 
to  bring  man  unto  a  knowledge  of  his  sin,  and  to  shew  him 
how  it  may  be  remitted;  and  with  many  testimonies  and 


UNTO   THE   CHRISTIAN  READER. 


261 


examples  of  the  scripture  he  proveth  man  to  be  saved  only 

by  mercy  for  the  merits  of  Christ,  which  is  apprehended 

and  received  by  faith,  as  he  at  large  sheweth,  cap.  iii.  iv.  v.  Rom.  m.  iv. 

of  the  same  epistle. 

In  the  understanding  of  the  which  three  chapters  aright 
is  required  a  singular  and  exact  diligence ;  for  it  seemeth 
by  those  places  that  Paul  concludeth,  and  in  manner  in- 
cludeth,  the  divine  grace  and  promise  of  God  within  certain 
terms  and  limits;  that  only  Christ  should  be  efficacious 
and  profitable  in  those  that  apprehend  and  receive  this 
abundant  grace  by  faith ;  and  to  such  as  hath  not  the 
use  of  faith,  Christ  neither  God's  grace  to  appertain. 

Now  seeing  no  man  by  reason  of  this  natural  incredulity, 
born  and  begotten  with  us,  Rom.  xi.  Gal.  iii.,  can  believe  ^v^-.P-  ^2 

®  '  '  Gal.  111.  22. 

and  put  such  confidence  in  God  as  he  requireth  by  his 

law,  as  experience  of  our  own  weakness  declareth,  though 

man  have  years  and  time  to  believe ;  the  promise  of  God 

in  Christ  appertaineth  unto  no  man.     This  sentence  is 

plain,  Mark,  the  last  chapter :   "  He  that  believeth  not  Mark  xvi. 

shall  be  damned."    Howbeit,  we  know  by  the  scripture, 

that,  notwithstanding  this  imperfection  of  faith,  many  shall 

be  saved ;  and  likewise  notwithstanding  that  God's  promise 

be  general  unto  all  people  of  the  world.  Matt.  xi.  Rom.  xi.  Matt.  xi.  28. 

RiOm.  xi.  32* 

1  Tim.  ii.  Gen.  iii.,  yet  many  shall  be  damned.      These  ^ 
two  points  therefore  must  be  diligently  discussed :  first, 
how  this  faith,  being  unperfect,  is  accepted  of  God;  then, 
how  we  be  excluded  from  the  promise  of  grace  that  ex- 
tendeth  to  all  men. 

I  will  not  rehearse  now  the  minds  of  other ;  but,  as 
briefly  and  simply  as  I  can,  declare  the  mind  of  the 
scripture  in  this  matter. 

Saint  Paul  calleth  this  servitude  of  sin,  naturally  re-  How  faith 

being-  un- 

maining   in  our   nature  corrupted,  sometimes   apethian ;  P^^gpfg^i^o, 
then  amartian;   at  another  time   asiheneam}      The  first 

^  ' AneiBeiav — ajiapriav — dadiveiav-^ 


262 


UNTO  THE   CHRISTIAN  READER. 


word  eignifieth  an  impersuasibility,  difBdence,  incredulity, 
contumacy,  or  inobedience.  The  second  signifieth  error, 
sin,  or  deceit.    The  third  betokeneth  weakness,  imbeciUty, 

icor.xv.  or  imperfection.  So  writeth  Paul,  1  Cor.  xv.,  man's  body 
to  be  first  bom  in  imperfection  or  imbecility.    Also  that 

Rom.xi.  32.  (Jq^  concludeth  all  men  under  infidelity,    Rom.  xi.  In 

Gal.  iii.  22.  ^jjg  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  cap.  iii.,  he  saith,  that  the 
scripture  doth  conclude  all  men  under  sin. 

In  those  three  places  thou  mayest  see  the  three  words 
that  I  rehearsed  before,  with  the  which  Paul  describeth 

isai.  iiii.4,        infirmities  of  man,  which  infirmities  Esay  liii.  John  i. 

John  i.  29.  ^^^1^  testify  that  they  are  translated  into  Christ :  not  g,o 
that  we  should  be  clean  delivered  from  them,  as  though 
they  were  dead  in  our  nature,  or  our  nature  changed,  or 
should  not  provoke  us  any  more  to  ill;  but  that  they 
should  not  damn  us,  because  Christ  satisfied  for  them  in 

Rom.  V.  8.  his  own  body.  And  Paul  saith,  Romans  v.  that  "  Christ 
died  for  sinners  which  were  infirm,"  and  calleth  those 
sinners  "the  enemies"  of  God.  Howbeit  he  calleth  not  them 
theostygas^  in  the  scripture,  that  is  to  say,  contemners  of 

How  we  are  God.    Everv  man  is  called  in  the  scripture  wicked,  and 

called  the  •'  ^ 

memies  of  ^ho  enemy  of  God,  for  the  privation  and  lack  of  faith  and 
love  that  he  oweth  unto  God.  Et  impii  vocantur  qui  mn 
omnino  smt  pii ;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  called  wicked, 
that  in  all  things  honoureth  not  God,  believeth  not  in  God, 
and  observeth  [not]^  his  commandments  as  they  should  do ; 
which  we  cannot  do  by  reason  of  this  natural  infirmity  or 

Rom.  viii.  7.  hatred  of  the  flesh,  (as  Paul  calleth  it,  Rom.  viii.,)  against 
God.    In  this  sense  taketh  Paul  this  word  wicJced,  Rom. 

Rom.  V.8.  v.,  when  he  saith,  that  Christ  died  for  the  wicked.  So 
must  we  interpretate  Saint  Paul,  and  take  his  words,  or 
else  no  man  should  be  damned. 

Now  we  know  that  Paul  himself.  Saint  John,  and  Christ, 
damneth  the  contemners  of  God,  or  such  as  willingly  con- 

eeooTvyifs.]  p  not,  supplied  ivorq^  C] 


UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READEB. 


263 


tinue  in  sin,  and  will  not  repent.    Matt.  xii.  Mark  iii.  Matt.xii. 

'■  Mark  in. 

Luke  xii. ;  Paul,  Rom.  viii.  1  Cor.  v.  2  Cor.  vi.  2  Pet.  i.  ^^J^f.^-j. 
Those  the  scripture  excludeth  from  the  general  promise  of2Cor!vi. 

2  Pet.  i. 

grace.  Thou  seest  by  the  places  afore  rehearsed,  that 
though  we  cannot  believe  in  God  as  undoubtedly  as  is  re- 
quired, by  reason  of  this  our  natural  sickness  and  disease; 
yet  for  Christ's  sake,  in  the  judgment  of  God,  we  are 
accounted  as  faithful,  Jldeles,  for  whose  sake  this  natural 
disease  and  sickness  is  pardoned,  by  what  name  soever 
St  Paul  calleth  the*  natural  infirmity  or  original  sin  in  man. 
And  this  imperfection  or  natural  sickness  taken  of  Adam  How  we  are 

excluded 

excludeth  not  the  person  from  the  promise  of  God  in  Christ,  ^romisefof 
except  we  transgress  the  limits  and  bounds  of  this  original  fs^xtended 
sin  by  our  own  folly  and  malice,  and  either  of  a  contempt 
or  hate  of  God's  word  we  fall  into  sin,  and  transform  our- 
selves into  the  image  of  the  devil.     Then  we  exclude  by  Christ  re- 

°  ceived  our 

this  means  ourselves  from  the  promises  and  merits  of  Christ,  blltTot'the 
who  only  received  our  infirmities  and  original  disease,  and  the*iaw  and^ 
not  the  contempt  of  him  and  his  law. 

Further,  the  promises  appertain  to  such  as  repent. 
Therefore  Esay,  chap.  liii.  said  without  exception,  that  the 
infirmities  of  all  men  were  cast  upon  his  blessed  shoulders. 
It  is  our  office  therefore  to  see  we  exclude  not  ourselves 
from  the  general  grace  promised  to  all  men.  It  is  not 
a  christian  man's  part  to  attribute  his  salvation  to  his  own 
free  will,  with  the  Pelagian*,  and  extenuate  original  sin; 
nor  to  make  God  the  author  of  ill  and  our  damnation,  with 
the  Manichee*;  nor  yet  to  say,  God  hath  written  fatal 
laws,  as  the  Stoic*,  and  with  necessity  of  destiny  violently 
puUeth  one  by  the  hair  into  heaven,  and  thrusteth  the 
other  headlong  into  hell.    But  ascertain  thyself  by  the 

P  The,  B  and  C.   This,  A.] 

[*  For  an  account  of  the  principles  of  the  Stoics,  and  of  the  disciples 
of  Manes  and  of  Pelagius,  see  Mosheim,  cent.  1.  cap.  1.  xxiii.  cent.  3. 
cap.  5.  and  cent.  6.  cap.  5.] 


264 


UNTO   THE   CHRISTIAN  READER. 


scripture,  what  be  the  causes  of  reprobation,  and  what  of 
election. 

dI'mnttfon°^  The  causo  of  rejection  or  damnation  is  sin  in  man,  which 
in  man.      ^-jj        hear,  neither  receive  the  promise  of  the  gospel; 

or  else,  after  he  hath  received  it,  by  accustomed  doing  of 
ill  he  fall  either  in  a  contempt  of  the  gospel,  will  not  study  to 
live  thereafter,  or  else  hateth  the  gospel,  because  it  con- 
demneth  his  ungodly  life,  and  would  there  were  neither 
God  nor  gospel  to  punish  him  for  doing  of  ill.     This  sen- 
tence is  true,  howsoever  man  judge  of  predestination :  God 
is  not  the  cause  of  sin,  nor  would  not  have  man  to  sin. 
Psai.  V.  4.    Psalm  V.  iVo^^  Deus  nolens  iniquitatem  tu  es,  that  is  to  say, 
Hos.  xiii.  9.  "  Thou  art  not  the  God  that  willeth  sin."    Osee  xiii.  it 
is  said,  "Thy  perdition,  O  Israel,  is  of  thyself,  and  thy 
succour  only  of  me." 
The  cause        The  causo  of  our  election  is  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ, 

of  man's 

election.     Rom.  ix.      Howbcit,   he  that  will  be  partaker  of  this 

Rom.  IX.  16.  '  ^ 

election  must  receive  the  promise  in  Christ  by  faith.  For 
therefore  we  be  elected,  because  afterward  we  are  made 
Eph.  i.5.    the  members  of  Christ.  Eph.  i.  Rom.  viii.    Therefore,  as 

Rom.  viii. 

in  the  justification  or  remission  of  sin  there  is  a  cause, 
though  no  dignity  at  all,  in  the  receiver  of  his  justification ; 
even  so  we  judge  him  by  the  scripture  to  be  justified,  and 
hath  remission  of  his  sin,  because  he  received  the  grace 
promised  in  Christ :  so  we  judge  of  election  by  the  event 
or  success  that  happeneth  in  the  life  of  man,  those  only 
to  be  elected  that  by  faith  apprehend  the  mercy  promised 
in  Christ.  Otherwise  we  should  not  judge  of  election.  For 
Rom.  viii.  Paul  saith  plainly,  Rom.  viii.  that  "  they  that  be  led 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  are  the  children  of  God;"  and  that 
"  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  testify  with  our  spirits  that  we 
are  the  children  of  God."  Being  admonished  by  the 
scripture,  we  must  leave  sin,  and  do'  the  works  commanded 
of  God :  or  else  it  is  a  carnal  opinion,  that  we  have  blinded 

And  to  do,  B.] 


UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


265 


ourselves  withal,  of  fatal  destiny,  and  will  not  save  us.  what 

dcclElTCtill  ft 

And  in   case  there  follow  not  in*  our  knowledge  of  lively  faith. 
Christ  amendment  of  life,  it  is  not  lively  faith  that  we 
have,  but  rather  a  vain  knowledge  and  mere  presump- 
tion. 

John  vi.  saith,  "No  man  cometh  unto  me,  except  John vi. «. 

'  How  God 

my  Father  draw  him."  Many  men  understand  these  words  uXchrist 
in  a  wrong  sense,  as  though  God  required  in  a  rea- 
sonable man  no  more  than  in  a  dead  post,  and  marketh 
not  the  words  that  follow :  Omnis  qui  audit  a  Patre  et  discit, 
venit  ad  me  ;  that  is  to  say,  "  Every  man  that  heareth 
and  learneth  of  my  Father  cometh  to  me."  God  draweth 
with  his  word  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  man's  duty  is  to 
hear  and  learn,  that  is  to  say,  receive  the  grace  offered, 
consent  unto  the  promise,  and  not  repugn  the  God  that 
calleth.  God  doth  promise  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  them 
that  ask  him,  and  not  to  them  that  contemn  him. 

We  have  the  scripture  daily  in  our  hands,  read  it, 
and  hear  it  preached.  God's  mercy  ever  continue  the 
same.  Let  us  think  verily  that  now  God  calleth,  and 
convert  our  lives  to  it.  Let  us  obey  it,  and  beware  we 
suffer  not  our  foolish  judgments  to  wander  after  the  flesh ; 
lest  the  devil  wrap  us  in  darkness,  and  teach  us  to  seek 
the  election  of  God  out  of  the  scripture.  Although  we 
be  of  ourselves  bondmen  unto  sin,  and  can  do  no  good, 
by  reason  our  original  and  race  is  vicious ;  yet  hath  not 
the  devil  induced  wholly  his  similitude  into  any  of  Adam's 
posterity,  but  only  into  those  that  contemn  and  of  a  set  pur- 
pose and  destined  malice  hate  God,  as  Pharao  and  Saul. 
The  one  gathered  all  his  men  of  war  and  would  fight  with  Exod.  xiv. 
God  and  his  church,  rather  than  obey  his  commandment.  The 
other  would,  against  God's  express  will  and  pleasure,  kill  },^*™-^^'"' 
David  that  God  had  ordained  to  be  king.    These  sins  Christ 

In,  omitted  in  A.] 


266 


UNTO   THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


MatL>rfi.32.  calleth  "the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,"     Matt.  xii. 

wohnvilo'  Mark  iii.  Luke  xii, :  Saint  John,  1  John  v.  "  sin  unto  death 

Heb.  X.  26.  g^jj^^  Paul,  Hcb.  X.  "  Voluntary  or  wilhng  sin." 

We  must  therefore  judge  by  the  scripture,  and  beUeve 
all  things  there  spoken.  Know  thereby  the  will  of  God, 
and  search  not  to  know  the  thing  that  appertaineth  nothing 
to  thine  office.  Remember  how  crafty  a  workman  the 
devil  is,  and  what  practice  he  hath  used  with  other.  Chiefly 
and  before  all  things  he  goeth  about  to  take  this  persuasion, 
"  that  God's  word  is  true,"  out  of  man's  heart :  as  he  did 

Gen.  iii. 4, 5.  with  Adam,  Gen.  iii.,  that  thought  nothing  less  than  to 
die,  as  God  said.  Then  thought  he  wholly  to  have  printed 
his  own  image  in  Adam  for  the  image  of  God,  and  to 
bring  him  to  an  utter  contempt  and  hatred  of  God  for 
ever,  as  he  had  brought  him  to  a  diffidence  and  doubt  of 
his  word.  Here  let  us  all  take  heed  of  ourselves,  that, 
daily  with  the  word  of  God  being  admonished  of  ill,  yet 
amend  not. 

We  shall  find  at  length  God  to  be  just  in  his  word, 
and  will  punish  with  eternal  fire  our  contumacy  and  in- 
obedience ;  which  fire  shall  be  no  less  hot  than  his  word 
speaketh  of.    So  did  he  with  Saul :  persuaded  the  miserable 
wretch  that  God  was  so  good,  that  though  he  ofiended,  he 
would  not  punish  him  as  he  said,  but  be  pleased  with  a 
i^Sam.  XV.  fat  sacrifice  again.    1  Reg.  xv.    This  doctrine  is  therefore 
necessary  to  be  known  of  all  men,  that  God  is  just  and 
true,  and  requireth  of  us  fear  and  obedience ;  as  Saint 
John  viii.    John  saith,  "  He  that  sent  me  is  true."    David,  Psalm  cxlv,, 
Psai.  cxlv.  speaketh  thus  of  his  justice,  "  The  Lord  is  just  in  all  his 
Thejustke  ways."    And  understand,    that  his  justice  extendeth  to 
sdf'to'two  'fc^o  diverse  ends :   the  one  is,  that  he  would  all  men  to 
divers  ends.      gaved,  Gen.  iii.  XV.  xvii.  Matt.  xi.  Isai.  liii.  1  Tim.  ii. 

Rom.  xi.;  the  other  end,  to  give  every  man  according  to 
his  acts. 

To  obtain  the  first  end  of  his  justice,  as  many  as  be 


UNTO  THE   CHRISTIAN  READER. 


267 


not  utterly  wicked,  and  may  be  holpen,  partly  with  threat- 
eningSj  partly  with  promises  he  aUureth,  and  provoketh 
them  unto  amendment  of  life.  The  other  part  of  his  justice 
rewardeth  the  obedience  of  the  good,  and  punisheth  the 
inobedience  and  contempt  of  the  ill.  These  two  justice  jonah  ii. 
the  elders  call  correctivam  and  retrihutimm.  Jonas  the 
prophet  speaketh  of  the  first,  chap.  ii.  and  Christ,  Matt.  xxv.  Matt.  xxv. 
of  the  second.  God  would  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  therefore 
provoketh,  now  by  fair  means,  now  by  foul,  that  the  sinner 
should  satisfy  his  just  and  righteous  pleasure.  Not  that 
the  promises  of  God  pertain  unto  such  as  will  not  repent,  or 
his  threatenings  to  him  that  doth  repent ;  but  those  means 
he  useth  to  save  his  poor  creature.  1  Cor.  xi.  This  wise  iC0r.xi.32. 
useth  he  to  nurture  us,  until  such  time  as  his  holy  Spirit 
work  such  a  perfection  in  us,  that  we  will  obey  him,  though 
there  were  no  pain  nor  joy  mentionated  of  at  all. 

Therefore  look  not  only  upon  the  promise  of  God,  but 
also,  what  diligence  and  obedience  he  requireth  of  thee, 
lest  thou  exclude  thyself  from  the  promise.  There  was 
promised  unto  all  those  that  departed  out  of  Egypt  with 
Moses  the  land  of  Canaan  :  howbeit,  for  disobedience  of 
God's  commandments,  there  was  but  one  or  two  that 
entered.  Of  the  other  part  thou  seest,  that  the  menaces 
and  horrible  threatenings  of  God,  that  Ninive,  the  great 
city,  should  be  destroyed  within  forty  days,  nothing  ap- 
pertained unto  the  Ninivites,  because  they  did  penance 
and  returned  to  God.  In  them  seest  thou,  christian 
reader,  the  mercy  of  God,  and  general  promise  of  sal- 
vation performed  in  Christ,  for  whose  sake  only  God  and 
man  was  set  at  one:  so  that  they  received  the, preaching 
of  the  prophet,  and  took  God  for  their  God ;  and  God  took 
them  to  be  his  people,  and,  for  a  certainty  thereof,  revoked 
his  sentence  that  gave  them  but  forty  days  of  life.  They 
likewise  promised  obedience  unto  his  holy  laws  and  com- 


268 


UNTO  THE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 


mandments,  as  God  give  us  all  grace  to  do !  that  though 
we  be  infirm  and  weak  to  all  virtues,  we  ex- 
clude  not   ourselves   by  contempt  or 
negligence    from   the  grace 
promised  to  all  men. 
Thus  farewell 
in  Christ. 

V  Nommbris^ 
Anno  1549. 


[Preface  to  the  edition  M.D.L/J 


John  Houper  wysheth  grace  and 
knowledge  in  Christ  to 
the  christian 
reader. 

I  JUDGED,  christian  reader,  that  in  my  former  epistle  I 
had  sufficiently  entreated  thee  to  have  read,  and  given 
charitable  judgment  of  this  well-meant  and  truly-written 
treatise  upon  the  Ten  Commandments.  But  both  my  labours 
and  my  request  I  see  of  many  not  only  neglected,  but  also 
despised  ;  and  not  despised  only,  but  also  condemned  :  yea, 
innocently,  I  dare  well  say,  if  men  without  affection  read  or 
hear  read  the  thing  which,  of  affection,  temerously  they 
condemn.  And  in  case  I  had  not  prevented  in  time  (before 
I  wrote  the  work  and  printed  it  first)  the  same  foolish 
judgment  of  foolish  and  ignorant  people,  that  now  speaketh 
slanderously  of  one  unslanderous  doctrine,  I  had  written 
things,  (and  not  contrary  to  God's  laws  nor  man's  laws,) 
which  would  have  offended  them  more,  as  touching  divorce- 
ment, whereof  I  soberly  entreat  in  the  seventh  command- 
ment, and  truly,  as  I  will  answer  to  the  same  by  God's 
grace.  But  I  refrained,  for  two  causes :  the  one  is,  that 
all  things  be  not  expedient,  though  they  be  lawful ;  the 
next,  that  I  knew  there  lay  under  every  stone  a  scorpion 
to  bite  and  poison  whatsoever  I  should  vprite  or  say.  But 
seeing  no  man's  writings  heretofore  hath  been  clear  and 
free  from  misconstruing  and  calumniation  of  such  sycophants 
and  serpentine  tongues  as  hurt  or^  they  warn,  kill  or  they 
admonish,  slander  or  they  judge,  proclaim  victory  or  they 
fight  ;  I  must  hold  myself  well  contented  to  suffer  obloquy 
['  Or:  ere,  before.] 


270 


[preface  to  edition  1650. J 


and  slander  now,  as  they  did  then.    And  as  they  wished  a 
better  mind  and  prayed  for  their  adversaries  then,  so  do 
I  now,  that  God  in  Christ  may  save  and  bring  both  them 
and  me  to  the  joys  everlasting.    Nothing  desire  I  of  thee 
but  as  I  erst  desired,  that  thou  wilt  read  with  judgment 
this  little  declaration  upon  the  Ten  Commandments;  and  in 
the  seventh  commandment  thou  shalt  find  added  more  than 
was  before,  for  the  confirmation  of  such  divorcement  as 
many  of  late  have  been  offended  withal:   and  then  give 
sentence  charitably,  whether  I  give  any  liberty  to  sin,  or 
elevate,  diminish,  extenuate,  break  or  dissolve  matrimony 
ungodly  and  without  judgment,  or  no.     Weigh  the  fifth 
and  nineteenth  of  Saint  Matthew  with  the  tenth  of  Mark, 
and  so  shalt  thou  understand  wherein  standeth  the  state 
of  the  controversy,    and   so   be  able   to   give  upright 
and  true  judgment ;   which  God  grant  unto  thee,  that 
thou  mayest  not  only  be   able  to  maintain  the 
truth  that  thou  knowest,  but  also  search  to 
find  out  in  all  other  doubtful  questions 
the  truth  that  thou  knowest  not. 
Thus  the   Spirit    of  peace, 
love,    and  knowledge 
be  with  thee  now 
and  for  ever! 
Amen. 

From  London,  28th  Julii,  1550. 


THE 


A  DECLARATION 

OF 

TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


CAPUT  I. 

WHAT    THE   LAW  IS. 

Seeing  that  the  least  part  of  the  scripture  requireth  in  Diligence 
the  writer  both  judgment  and  circumspection,   that  the  spection  in 
interpretation  of  one  place  repugn  not  the  text  of  God's  tion. 
word  in  another  place ;  how  much  more  diligence,  circum- 
spection, fear,  and  love  requireth  the  two  tables  of  the  Ten 
Commandments,  in  the  which  is  contained  the  effect  and 
whole  sum  of  all  the  scripture  !   And  whatsoever  is  said  or  Christ  and 
written  by  the  prophets,  Christ,  or  the  apostles,  it  is  none  expound  the 
other  thing  but  the  interpretation  and  exposition  of  these  mandments. 
ten  words  or  ten  commandments.     So  that  it  were  no 
need  at  all  to  require  the  mind  of  any  doctor  or  expositor, 
to  know  the  will  and  pleasure  of  God  manifested  unto  the 
world  in  his  word,  would  they  that  hath  leisure  to  read 
the  scripture,    study  therein  themselves ;   or  such  as  be 
appointed  to  the  ministry  of  the  church  in  their  sermons 
declared  unto  the  unlearned,  what  and  which  command- 
ment the  evangelist,  prophet,  or  history,  that  he  preacheth, 
declareth.      If  this  were  done,  then  were  it  no  need  to 
bestow  so  many  years  in  reading  the  gloss  and  interpretation 
of  man.    For  let  him  write  or  say  what  he  pleaseth,  he  The  text  of 

,  the  scrip- 

that  understandeth  the  text  shall  be  always  able  to  judge  ture  to  be 

111        1  •  PI  1  T  ^^  1     1  •     p  •  ^  understood 

whether  he  write  true  or  lalse,  and  so  stablish  his  laith  and  inter- 
and  knowledge  upon  the  word  of  God,  and  not  upon  the  by  scrip- 
interpretation  of  man  ;  conform  all  his  life  to  this  rule  and 
canon  of  the  ten  commandments,  and  not  unto  the  decrees  oeut.  iv.  6. 
of  man,  as  God  commandeth.    Deut.  iv. 

These  ten  words  hath  been  largely  and  at  leneth  written  Matter 

.  ,  enough  for 

upon  by  many  great  and  famous  clerks  ;  so  notwithstanding,  every  man 


272  A  DECLARATION  OF  [cH. 

to  exercise  as  they  have  yet  left  sufficient  matter  unto  their  successors, 

himself  in,  •iii-i- 

the  exposi-  whereupon  they  may  exercise  both  their  learnins  and  elo- 

tionofthe  ^      .  .  .  ,  ™,         .  .  , 

command-  quence,  as  m  a  thing  most  mscrutable.    Ihere  is  no  acuity' 
nor  excellency  of  wit,  no  learning,  no  eloquence,  that  can 
comprehend  or  compass  the  doctrine  and  mystery  of  the 
What  the    learning  that  is  contained  in  these  commandments.  They 
eth.      '  teach  abundantly  and  sufficiently  in  few  words,  how  to  know 
God,  to  follow  virtue,  and  to  come  to  eternal  life. 

Wherefore  it  behoveth  every  man  of  God  to  know  as 
perfectly  these  commandments  as  he  knoweth  his  own 
name  ;  that  all  his  works,  words,  and  thoughts,  may  be 
governed  according  unto  the  mind  and  pleasure  of  this 
law  :  likewise,  because  we  may  by  the  knowledge  hereof 
understand  other  men's  writings  and  commandments,  whe- 
ther they  be  of  God  or  of  man,  profitable  or  pernicious, 
leading  to  life  eternal  or  to  death  everlasting.  They  teach 
what  God  requireth  in  the  heart,  and  what  in  external 
conversation,  both  to  God  and  man ;  what  is  to  be  done 
in  the  commonwealth,  and  what  in  every  private  cause ; 
what  is  the  superior''s  duty,  and  what  the  inferior's ;  what 
the  husband's  duty,  and  what  the  wife's ;  what  the  father's, 
and  what  the  son's ;  what  to  be  done  to  a  citizen  or 
landsman,  and  what  to  a  stranger ;  what  in  the  time  of 
peace,  and  what  in  the  time  of  war.  So  that  in  these 
ten  precepts  every  man  may  see  what  his  office  is  to  do, 
without  further  travail  or  study  in  any  other  sort  of  other 
learning.  I  purpose  therefore  by  God's  grace,  as  well 
as  I  can,  to  open  by  other  places  of  the  scripture  the 
true  sense  and  meaning  of  these  ten  commandments 
simply  and  plainly,  that  the  unlearned  may  take  profit  by 
the  same.    This  order  I  will  observe : 

First,  shew  what  this  word,  law  or  commandment, 
meaneth. 

Then,  how  the  law  should  be  used. 

Thirdly,  prepare  the  reader's  mind,  that  he  may  always 
read  and  hear  these  commandments  with  fruit  and  com- 
modity. 

Fourthly,  interpretate   every   commandment  severally, 
that  the  reader  may  perceive  what  God,  the  giver  of  the 
law,  requireth  of  every  man  that  professeth  his  name. 
[}  Acuity :  acuteness.] 


WHAT   THE  LAW  IS. 


273 


Justinian,  Lib.  i.  Pandect,  tit.  i.  saith,  that  "  the  law  is  Lib.  i  pan- 
a  faculty  or  science  of  the  thin^  that  is  good  and  right,  as  ULi. 
Celsus  there  defineth'-"     Or  thus :  "  The  law  is  a  certain 
rule  or  canon  to  do  well  by,  which  ought  to  be  known 
and  kept  of  all  men."    Cicero  de  Legibus  saith,  that  "  the  De  Legibus. 
law  is  a  certain  rule  proceeding  from  the  mind  of  God, 
persuading  right  and  forbidding  wrong^." 

So  that  the  law  is  a  certain  rule,  a  directory,  shewing  what  the 
what  is  good,  and  what  is  ill ;  what  is  virtue,  and  what  is 
vice ;  what  profitable,  and  what  disprofitable  ;  what  to  be 
done,  and  what  to  be  left  undone.     This  declaration  of 
the  law  general  appertaineth  unto  all  the  kinds,  members, 
and  particular  laws,  made  either  for  the  body,  either  for 
the  soul.    So  that  whosoever  be  ignorant  of  the  law  and  By  the  law 
rules,  that  appertain  unto  the  science  or  art  that  he  the  end  of 
professeth,  can  never  come  to  the  end  or  perfection  that  sion. 
his  profession  requireth.    As  for  example :  the  end  of  a 
christian  man  is  eternal   life ;   and  his  profession  is,  to 
know  and  learn  the  law  and  canons  that  most  plainly 
and  sincerely  leadeth  him  unto  this  end  of  eternal  felicity. 
As  the  law  of  God,  which  is  a  certain  doctrine,  shew- 
ing what  we  should  be,   what  we  should  do,  and  what 
leave  undone,  requiring  perfect  obedience  towards  God,  and 
advertising  us  that  God  is  angry  and  displeased  with  sin, 
and  will  punish  eternally  such  as  perform  not  all  things 
perfectly  contained  in  this  law,  as  ye  may  read.  Matt.  xxii.  Matt.  xxii. 
Exod.  XX.  Deut.  vi.      Those  places   shew  that  God  re-  Kxod.  xx.  i. 
quireth  of  us  perfect  obedience.  What  pain  is  due  to  the 
transgressor,  ye  may  read  in  Deut.  xxviii. :   "  Cursed  be  Deut.  xxviu. 
he  that  fulfilleth  not  the  law;"  and  likewise.  Matt,  xxv.:  Matt. xxv. 

41 

"  Depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity,  into  eternal 
fire." 

I  declare  now,  good  reader,  what  the  law  is,  and  not 
how  it  may  be  fulfilled.  That  I  defer  unto  the  end  of  the 
exposition  df  the  law.  Howbeit,  I  would  thou  shouldest 
most  diligently  mark  this  definition  or  declaration,  "  what 
God's  law  is  ;"  that  thou  mayest  know  what  difference  is 

['  Nam  (ut  eleganter  Celsus  definit)  Jus  est  ars  boni  et  sequi.  Cor- 
pus Juris  Civilis.    Ant.  1726.    Lib.  i.  tit.  i.  coJ.  ].  Tom.  i.  p.  J 09.] 

[3  Lex  est  ratio  summa,  insita  in  natura,  quse  jubet  ea  quse  facienda 
sunt,  pi-ohibetque  contraria.    Cic.  De  Legibus.] 

[hooper. J 


274  A   DECLARATION   OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


The  differ- 
ence of 
man's  law 
and  God's 
law. 


Deut.  iv.  1. 

A  notable 
similitude 
to  prove 
that  every 
man  must 
learn  the 
law  of  God. 


No  Christ- 
ian is  he 
that  know- 
eth  not  the 
command- 
ments of 
God. 


Common  ex 
cuse  taken 
away. 


between  the  law  of  God  and  the  law  of  man.  Man's  laws 
only  requireth  external  and  civil  obedience ;  God's  laws,' 
both  external  and  internal. 

Now  he  that  is  ignorant  of  the  means,  is  ignorant  of 
the  end  ;  being  ignorant  of  the  causes,  must  needs  be  igno- 
rant of  the  effect.  Only  by  the  law  of  God  the  means  is 
known ;  therefore  only  the  law  of  God,  if  we  will  come  to 
the  end  that  God  would  us  to  do,  is  diligently  to  be  learned: 
for  like  as  the  physician  cannot  communicate  his  health 
with  the  sick  patient,  or  the  living  man  his  life  with  the 
dead  body  of  another,  (but  every  man  enjoyeth  his  own 
health,  and  liveth  with  his  own  life ;)  so  profiteth  not  him 
that  is  unlearned  the  knowledge  of  another  man,  but  every 
man  must  know  and  learn  himself  the  law  of  God,  if  he 
will  be  saved.  John  vi.  Deut.  iv.  As  he,  that  will  be  a 
physician,  must  learn  the  precepts  that  teacheth  physic ; 
a  musician  the  rules  of  music ;  the  orator  the  rules  of 
rhetoric ;  the  ploughman  the  rules  of  husbandry ;  and  so 
every  person  the  rules  that  belong  unto  his  profession,  or 
else  he  shall  never  profit  in  his  science  or  art,  nor  be 
accounted  a  craftsman,  that  knoweth  not  the  principles 
of  his  craft :  no  more  before  the  majesty  of  God  is  he 
accounted  a  christian  man,  that  perfectly  knoweth  not  the 
commandments  of  God,  though  he  be  christened,  and 
braggeth  of  the  name  never  so  much. 

And  because  that  no  man  should  excuse  his  ignorance, 
and  say  the  bible  is  too  long,  and  containeth  so  high 
mysteries  and  secrets,  that  the  labouring  man  hath  neither 
sufficient  time  neither  convenient  understanding  to  learn 
the  law  and  commandments  of  God ;  it  pleased  his  infinite 
goodness  to  collect  and  gather  the  contents  and  sum  of  the 
whole  law  into  so  short  and  compendious  abridgment,  that 
no  science  of  the  world  hath  his  principles  or  general  rules 
concluded  with  so  few  words. 

Experience  and  proof  declareth  the  same.  The  logician 
hath  no  less  than  ten  general  rules,  called  predicaments, 
wherein  is  contained  the  whole  matter  of  his  art' :  the 
rhetorician,  three  manner  and  divers  kinds  of  causes,  de- 
monstrative, judicial,  and  deliberative :  the  whole  body  of 
the  law  civil,  these  three  principles,  "Live  honestly,  hurt 


P  See  Aristot.  Topic.  Lib.  i.  cap.  9.] 


WHAT  THE  LAW  IS. 


'275 


no  man,  and  sive  every  man  his^,"  Justinianus,  Lib.  i.  Justinianus, 

,  ..,  Lib.  i.  In- 

Institut. :  the  physician,  as  many  principles  as  be  kinds  stitut. 
of  diseases :   the  heavenly  God  eternal  hath  concluded  all 
the  doctrine   celestial  in  ten  words  or  commandments, 
Exod.  XX.  Deut.  v.     And  yet,  for  a  further  help  of  our  Exod.  xx.  i, 
unapt  memory  to  retain  the  will  of  God,  he  hath  gathered  ceiit.  v.  e, 
the  said  ten  commandments  into  two:  Matt.  xxii.  Mark  xii.  Matt. xxu. 
■ '  Love  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,""  Markxli*.'28. 
Deut.  vi.  &  xxvi.  Lev.  xix.  So  that  every  dull  and  hard-witted 
man  may  sooner  learn  the  principles  and  general  rules  of 
Christ's  religion  than  of  any  other  art  or  science,  that  he 
give  his  diligence  any  thing  at  all  for  the  space  of  one  month. 

There  be-  many  causes  that  should  provoke  man  unto  Many 
the  study  and  knowledge  of  this  law.    First,  the  profit  provoke" 
that  Cometh  thereof,  which  is  expressed,  John  xvii.:    "  This  t^eltudy 
is  life  eternal,  (saith  Christ,)  to  know  thee,  O  Father,  and  ofChrillt!' 
him  that  thou  hast  sent,  Jesus  Christ."    David  the  pro- 
phet  desired  the  knowledge  of  this  law,  and  so  copiously 
expresseth  the  commodity  thereof  in  the  most  holy  Psalm 
cxviii.,  that  nothing  of  this  world  may  be  compared  to  it;  psai. cxix. 
for  it  leadeth  to  eternal  life.    What  commodities  it  bringeth 
in  this  world,  it  is  declared  Deut.  xxviii.  and  Psalm  cxxviii. : 
"  If  thou  hear  the  voice  of  thy  Lord  God,  and  observe  it, 
thou  shalt  be  blessed  in  the  field  and  at  home;  blessed  in  all 
things  that  thou  takest  in  hand  to  do."    Read  the  chapter : 
"  If  thou  wilt  not  learn  the  will  of  thy  Lord,  thou  shalt  be 
cursed  in  the  field  and  at  home,  and  unfortunate  in  all  thy  acts." 

Further,  without  the  knowledge  and  obedience  of  this 
law  no  person  in  the  world  can  justly  and  conveniently 
serve  in  his  vocation  or  condition  of  life,  of  what  degree 
soever  he  be.     Wherefore  Moses  commanded,  Deut.  iv.  Deut.  iv.  32. 
that  no  man  should  decline  from  this  law,  neither  to  the 
right  hand  neither  to  the  left;  meaning  by  these  words, 
that  no  man  should  add  or  take  anything  from  it,  but 
simply  to  observe  it,  as  it  is  given  and  written  unto  us. 
From  this  right  line  and  true  regie*  of  God's  word  man  Man  erreth 
erreth  divers  ways :   sometime  by  ignorance,  because  he  ""^By  Tgno-' 
knoweth  not  or  will  not  know,  that  only  the  express  word 
of  God  sufficeth.     He  holdeth  with  the  most  part,  and 

P  Juris  praecepta  sunt  hsec :  Honeste  vivere,  alterum  non  ladere,  suum 
cuique  tribuere.  Corp.  Juris  Civilis.  Ant.  1726.  Lib.  i.  tit.  i.  Institi 
Tom.  I.  p.  9.]  ;  Regie :  regula,  rule.] 

18—2 


276         A  DECLARATION   OF   THE  TEN   COAIMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

condemneth  the  better,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  at  this  present 
day.  This  reason  taketh  place :  "  It  is  allowed  of  the 
most  part,  and  stablished  by  so  many  holy  and  learned 
bishops,  therefore  it  is  true;"  when  they  cannot  by  the 
scripture  prove  neither  the  learning,  neither  the  life  of 
their  doctors  to  be  good. 
2-  The  The  second  way  that  leadeth  from  the  word  of  God, 

power  of  the  •'  .  ,  . 

world.  is  many  times  the  power  and  authority  of  this  world :  as 
we  see  by  the  bishop  of  Rome  and  all  his  adherents,  who 
giveth  more  credence  and  faith  unto  one  charter  and  gift  of 
Constantinus  than  to  all  the  whole  bible' 

of thetime^  Another  erreth  by  mistaking  of  the  time,  making  his 
superstition  far  elder  than  it  is,  will  not  forsake  falsehood  for 
the  truth,  and  saith,  "  Thus  my  father  believed,  and  should 
I  believe  the  contrary  ?"  Thus  rather  will  give  credit  to 
his  father,  being  blind,  than  unto  God,  his  great  grandfather, 
that  seeth ;  to  the  law  of  man  more  credit,  than  to  the 
law  of  God.  As  the  knowledge  of  man  is  thus  withdrawn 
from  the  word  of  God  by  ignorance  and  ill-used  customs ;  so 
is  the  life  and  conversation  of  man  likewise  not  governed 
with  the  word  of  God,  but  with  accustomed  fraud  and 
guile,  every  man  in  his  vocation  and  condition  of  life :  the 
spirituality  with  false  received  and  ill  deserved  teaching, 
the  temporality  with  false  contracts  and  preposterous  buy- 
ing and  selling.  The  princes  and  superior  powers  of  the 
earth,  for  the  most  part,  and  all  learned  men,  either  in 
maintaining  a  wrong  religion,  or  in  not  restoring  the  true, 
decline  far  from  this  simple  and  sincere  verity  contained 
in  God's  word.    Some  dispense  with  a  less  ill  to  avoid  a, 

sfribedfor  g*"®^*^^  harm.    Some  prescribe  laws  for  the  conscience  of 

a  time.  man  for  a  time,  until  it  may  be  farther  deliberated  upon 
or  approved  good  by  a  general  council.  These  men  griev- 
ously offend^  themselves,  and  causeth  other  to  do  the 
same.  In  case  the  law  made  for  the  time  seem  not  good 
unto  such  as  shall  at  a  more  leisure  have  the  examination 
thereof,  the  law  for  the  mean  time  shall  be  condemned  as 
heretical  and  pernicious. 

Then  put  the  case^,  that  many,  or  at  the  least  some,  of 

P  This  probably  is  in  allusion  to  the  Edict  of  Constantine,  a.d^ 
813,  in  favour  of  the  Christians,  or  to  that  of  March  3,  321,  by  which 
the  Council  of  Nice  was  summoned.    See  Platina's  Life  of  Silvester.], 

P  Offend:  offended,  A,  B  and  C]  Case,  C,  cause,  B.] 


WHAT  THE  LAW  IS. 


277 


those  that  led  their  conscience  after  the  law  made  for  the 

mean  time  die :   how  standeth  then  the  case  with  these 

departed  souls  that  were  deceived  whiles  they  lived  by  false 

doctrine  ?     They  doubtless  are  lost  for  ever  and  without 

time,  if  they  died  in  any  error  of  the  catholic  faith,  as 

Christ  saith,  Luke  vi.   speaking  of  false  interpreters  of  Luke  vi.  39. 

the  word  of  God  :  "  If  the  blind  lead  the  blind  (he  saith) 

not  only  he  that  leadeth  shall  fall  into  the  ditch,  but 

both."    Therefore  it  is  not  sufficient  that  people  have  a 

law  for  the  mean  time,  but  whatsoever  the  conscience 

beginneth  withal,  it  must  end  in  the  same ;  that  is  to  say, 

no  law  at  all  should  be  spoken  of  concerning  the  conscience, 

but  the  only  word  of  God,  which  never  altered  nor  cannot 

be  altered.  Matt.  v. ;  Luke  xvi. ;  Psal.  xviii.    David,  Psal.  ?if"- "^-.'s. 

LiUKC  XVI* 

cxix.,  proveth  the  immutability  of  God''s  word  by  two  strong  ^^^^  ^.^  ^ 
reasons  :  if  heavens  and  earth,  made  by  the  word,  cannot  be 
altered,  how  much  more  the  word  itself !  Read  the  two  verses 
that  begin  with  the  letter  Lamed ;  in  English  thus  :  "  Thy  [Psai.  cxix. 
word.  Lord,  abideth  for  ever,  as  the  heavens  testify." 

Unto  the  which  law  the  conscience  of  man,  in  matters 
of  faith,  is  bound  only.  For  whensoever  or  whosoever 
prescribeth  any  law  for  the  cause  of  religion,  and  giveth 
it  this  title,  "for  the  mean  time,  until  it  may  be  judged 
by  a  general  council,  or  otherwise  decreed  by  the  assemblance 
of  learned  men,"  the  author  of  the  law  declareth  himself 
not  to  know  whether  his  law  be  true  or  false,  leading  to  hell 
or  to  heaven,  to  save  the  conscience  of  man,  or  to  damn 
it ;  but  leaveth  it  in  doubt,  and  maketh  it  as  uncertain  as 
these  that  shall  have  the  censure  and  judgment  thereof 
preferred  unto  their  discretion  and  learning.  I  would  wish 
therefore,  and  heartily  pray  unto  Almighty  God,  to  put  into 
the  hearts  of  all  superior  powers  of  the  earth  grace  and 
knowledge  to  choose  four  indifferent  judges  to  appease  all 
controversies  in  religion. 

If  the  clergy  should  judge,  the  world  would  and  might 
say,  they  are  too  partial,  and  for  many  respects  would  too 
much  favour  their  own  commodity.  If  the  temporalty 
should  judge,  the  clergy  would  think  something  to  be  done 
of  displeasure  or  malice,  that  always  in  manner  hath  re- 
mained between  the  parties.  Further,  if  a  Papist,  Lutheran, 
or  Zuinglian,  should  judge,  they  agree  so  ill  one  with  the 
other,  that  the  matter  could  not  want  suspicion.  There- 


2,78  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


fore  I  would  have  once  these  four  indifferent  judges  to  break 
the  strife,  the  Bible  in  Hebrew,  the  Bible  in  Greek,  the 
Bible  in  Latin,  and  the  Bible  in  English,  or  in  any  other 
vulgar  tongue,  according  to  the  speech  of  the  realm  where 
this  communication  should  be  had.  Then,  doubtless,  these 
judges  that  favoureth  not  more  the  one  part  than  the 
other,  no  more  one  person  than  the  other,  would  soon  set 
men  at  peace,  in  case  they  loved  not  dissension.  But  as 
long  as  the  authority  of  any  general  council  or  judgment 
of  man  is  accounted  equivalent  and  equal  with  the  word 
of  God,  the  truth  cannot  be  sincerely  known. 

Such  as  can  interpretate  nothing  well,  but  looketh  to 
find  occasion  to  calumniate  the  good  meaning  of  the  thing 
well  spoken,  will  say,  I  have  an  ill  opinion  of  God  the 
Eternal  in  heaven,  and  likewise  of  the  superior  powers^ 
in  earth,  because  I  damn  the  disciples  of  the  false  doctors 
with  the  doctors,  and  take  from  all  powers'  of  the  earth 
authority  to  prescribe  unto  their  subjects  any  law  touching 
religion  of  the  soul. 

As  concerning  the  judgment  of  God  against  those  that 
be  seduced  by  false  preachers  or  makers  of  false  laws,. 

Luke  yi.  39.  Saint  Luke  vi.  and  Ezech.  iii.  and  xiii.  judgeth  as  I  do.  And 

&c.  '  '  '  as  touching  the  question,  what  I  should  then  say  of  our 
forefathers,  that  ever  sith  the  time  of  Constantine  the  Em- 
peror, and  Sylvester  the  bishop  of  Rome,  hath  always  in 
manner  been  seduced  by  the  false  doctrine  of  man,  I  can 

Luke  vi.  39.  judge  none  other  than  the  scripture  teacheth.  Both  he 
that  leadeth  unto  damnation,  and  he  that  is  led,  falleth 
into  the  pit.    And  in  the  same  place  Christ  saith,  that  it 

verse  40.     sufficeth  the  disciple  to  be  as  his  master  is. 

St  Paul  describetli  the  nature  of  such  as  preach  false 

2Tim.ii.  17.  doctrine  thus,  2  Tim.  ii. :   They  lead  unto  iniquity,  and 
their  communication  "  eateth  as  the  disease  of  a  canker 
meaning,  that  false  doctrine  hurteth  not  only  him  that  is 
seduced,  but  likewise  such  as  shall  be  his  hearers.  And 
as  this  disease,  called  a  canker,  if  it  be  in  any  part  of  man's 

De  cansis   body,  it  infectoth  always  the  next  parts  unto  it ;  as  Galenua 

DTc'ompen-  writetli  De  causis  morborum,  likewise  Leonardus  Fuchsiua 

cinJ!"'^^'         compendio  medicince,  and  Ovidius,  thus, 

"  Utque  malum  late  solet  immedicabile  cancer 
Serpere,  et  illcesas  vUiatvs  addere  partes" 

Powers :  powei-j  B,]  ' 


WHAT  THE  LAW  IS. 


279 


which  IS  the  same  description  of  the  disease  written  afore :  so 
doth  false  doctrine.  And  as  every  member  of  man  may  be  in 
danger  of  this  disease,  yet  chiefly  the  members  that  wanteth 
sinews  and  bones ;  Ut  foeminarum  mammcB,  quod  rarce  et 
laxcs  sint,  ac  crassissimam  atrce  hilis  materiam  prompte  exci- 
piant  :^  even  so  the  preaching  of  false  doctrine  may  deceive 
every  man,  but  specially  the  simple  and  unlearned,  as  it  is 
to  be  seen  at  this  day  (the  more  pity!)  everywhere.  Easier 
for  a  soul  that  can  do  nothing  but  bless  a  tub  of  water  ', 
to  keep  an  hundred  in  superstition  and  the  adulterous 
doctrine  of  man,  than  for  him  that  is  well  learned  in  the 
law  of  God  to  win  ten  unto  Christ.  Notwithstanding,  I 
believe  that  in  the  midst  of  darkness,  when  all  the  world 
(as  far  as  man  might  judge)  had  sworn  unto  the  bishop  of 
Rome,  that  Christ  had  his  elects,  that  never  consented  unto 
his  false  laws,  neither  walked  not  after  strange  gods,  though 
unknown  unto  man ;  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Elie  the 
prophet,  3  Reg.  xix.,  where  God  said  he  had  preserved  seven  i  Kings  xix. 
thousand  that  never  bowed  their  knees  nor  kissed  Baal. 

In  every  age  so  God  preserveth  some,  that  no  false 
doctrine  may  corrupt  them,  though  the  nature  thereof  be, 
as  St  Paul  saith,  to  infect  as  a  canker.  So  God  impeacheth 
many  times  and  would  not  things  to  execute  their  natural 
operation :  as  we  read,  Exod.  iii.  where  the  bush  burned,  Exod.  iii.  2. 
and  yet  consumed  not ;  likewise  of  the  three  children  in 
the  fiery  furnace,  Dan.  iii. ;  and  as  Christ  saith,  John  x.,  Dan.  iii.  25. 
that  his  sheep  hearkened  not  unto  the  voice  of  the  false 
preachers.  As  many  therefore  as  died  before  us,  seduced  by 
false  preachers,  without  penance,  the  scripture  condemneth. 

As  many  as  believed  them  not,  but  trusted  to  the 
scripture,  or  else  deceived,  yet  called  to  grace  before  they 
died,  live  eternally  in  joy  and  solace,  and  are  saved,  as 
John  saith,  Apoc.  xiii.  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  I  judge  Rev.  xii.  11. 
therefore  in  this  point  God  to  be  no  more  severe  than 
the  scripture  teacheth,  wherein  he  teacheth  us  what 
we  should  believe  and  judge  of  him.  Thus  I  have  spoken 
largely  and'  truly,  to  admonish  my  good  reader  to  beware 

P  This  sentence  is  omitted  in  C] 

P  An  allusion  to  the  method  in  the  Romish  church  of  consecrating 
water  for  what  is  termed  holy  water.] 
\^  And,  supplied  from  A  and  C] 


280  A  DECLABATION  OP  THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


of  man's  laws  in  the  cause  of  religion.    As  touching  the 
superior  powers  of  the  earth,  it  is  not  unknown  unto  all 
them  that  hath  readen  and  marked  the  scripture,  that  it 
appertaineth  nothing  unto  their  office  to  make  any  law  to 
govern  the  conscience  of  their  subjects  in  religion,  but  to 
reign  over  them  in  this  case  as  the  word  of  God  commandeth. 
iJeut^xvii.  Deut.  xvii.  1  Reg.  xii.  2  Par.  viii.  Soph.  vi. 
n^am.  xii.        Howbeit,  in  their  realms,  provinces,  and  jurisdictions, 
Wisdom  vi.j  they  may  make  what  laws  they  will,  and  as  many  as  they 
will ;  command  them  to  be  kept  as  long  as  it  pleaseth  them, 
and  change  them  at  their  pleasure,  as  they  shall  see  occasion 
for  the  wealth  and  commodity  of  their  realms,  as  we  see 
in  all  the  notable  commonwealths  among  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  with  other.  Unto  the  which  superior  powers  we  owe 
all  obedience,  both  of  body  and  goods,  and  likewise  our  daily 
prayer  for  them  unto  Almighty  God  to  preserve  their  honours 
fxTm^ii'  ^  ■     gi'ace  and  quietness.  Rom.  xiii.  1  Tim.  ii.  1  Pet.  ii.  Matt. 
Matt  xxii*'  Luk.  XX.  And  as  many  divers  commonwealths 

21;    ,      as  there  be,  so  many  divers  laws  may  there  be.  Howbeit 

All  realms  . 

are  to  be     all  christened  kings  and  kingdoms,  with  other  magistrates, 

governed  by  _  ~  o  '  o  ' 

^od^'siaws  should  reign  by  one  law,  and  govern  the  churches  of  their 
realms  solely  by  the  word  of  God,  which  is  never  to  be 
changed ;  as  I  declared  afore  in  the  definition  of  God's  law, 
that  it  is  a  rule  never  to  be  changed  by  superior  power  or 
inferior.  Psal.  xviii,  and  cxviii.  So  doth  the  holy  prophet 
David,  that  honoured  God,  reverenced  the  powers  of  the  earth, 

Ps.xxv.  4.  loved  the  common  sort  of  people,  teach.  Psalm  xvii. :  "  Shew 
me,  good  Lord,  thy  way,  and  lead  me  in  a  right  path,  for  fear 

Job  xxii.  22.  of  those  that  lay  wait  for  me."  So  commandeth  Job,  chap, 
xxii.,  to  learn  the  law  at  the  mouth  of  God. 

I  follow  therefore  the  commandment  of  God,  persuading 
every  man  to  learn  his  faith  in  his  law,  as  Moses  did,  Deut. 

Deut.  xxxi.  xxxi..  Commending  the  law  unto  the  priests,  the  sons  of 
Levi,  not  only  that  they  should  know  it,  but  to  shew  it 
unto  the  whole  multitude  of  the  people,  men,  women, 
children,  and  strangers,  that  they  might  hear  it,  learn  it, 
fear  the  Lord  God,  and  observe  his  commandments.  So 
Christ  commanded  his  apostles  to  preach,  and  their  audience 

Matt.xxviii.  to  hear  the  thing  he  commanded,  Matt,  xxviii.     Mark  xvi. 

Mafk'xvi.  With  what  diligence,  and  how  it  should  be  preached,  learn 
in  the  viiith  and  ixth  chapter  of  Neemi. 


OF  THB  USE  OF   THE  LAW.  281 


CAPUT  II. 

OP   THE    USE   OP    THE  LAW. 

It  is  well  known  by  the  places  afore  rehearsed,  that  The  obe- 
the  law  of  God  requireth  an  inward  and  perfect  obedience  which  the 
unto  the  will  of  God :  the  which  this  nature  of  man,  cor-  elh/man's 
rupted  by  original  sin,  cannot  perform,  as  St  Paul  proveth  ture  cannot 
manifestly  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  p^""*^"™' 
There  remaineth  in  man,  as  long  as  he  liveth,  ignorance  and 
blindness,  that  he  knoweth  not  God  nor  his  law,  as  he 
ought  to  do,  but  rebelleth  by  contumacy  against  God.  For 
no  man  suffereth  God's  visitations  [or]'  punishments  with 
such  patience  as  is  required.    No  man  can  abide  to  hear 
his  defaults  rebuked  by  the  law,  but  hateth  his  admonitors, 
and  would  that  there  were  neither  God  neither  law,  so  that 
he  might,  unpunished,  satisfy  his  pleasure.    Likewise  the 
will  as  froward  and  perverse,  that  it  willeth  nothing  of  God 
nor  of  his  law,  so  that  if  it  diminish  any  part  of  such 
goods  or  pleasure  as  the  world  requireth  :  as  we  may  see 
by  daily  defection  and  departure  from  the  knowledge  of 
God's  word  in  those  that  once  were  as  ardent  as  fire, 
but  now,  as  the  Gadarenes  did,  Matt.  viii.  Luke  viii.  Mark  v.  Matt.  vUi. 

•  •  •  34 

&c.,  they  desire  Christ  to  depart  out  of  their  country,  Mark  v  1,2. 
rather  than  they  would  lose  their  swine.     Where  is  now  26! 
the  will  that  freely  and  frankly  should  forsake  all  the  goods 
of  the  world,  and  also  this  mortal  life,  rather  than  to  leave 
Jesus  Christ,  which,  as  John  saith,  only  "hath  the  word Joi»n vi. 68. 
of  eternal  life,"  chap,  vi.? 

It  is  not  need  to  prove  this  perverseness  and  wicked 
resistance  against  God  and  virtue  by  the  example 
of  other ;  but  every  man  may  find  himself  too  much  in- 
fected with  this  disease,  would  he  look  upon  his  own  life, 
and  be  as  equal  a  judge  of  himself,  as  he  is  temerous  in 
judging  of  other.  Then  should  he  flee  the  same  ill  in 
himself,  that  he  seeth  in  another,  and  every  man  damned 
before  God,  except  such  as  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  Rom.  Rom.  v.  1. 
v.,  and  study  to  live  after  his  law.  1  Cor.  v. ;  Luke  i. ; 
Tit.  i. ;  Matt,  vii. ;  Psal.  vi. 

Seeing  the  works  of  the  law  cannot  deserve  remission 
of  sin,  nor  save  man,  and  yet  God  requireth  our  diligence 

P  Supplied  from  C] 


282  A  DECLARATION  OF  THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


and  obedience  unto  the  law,  it  is  necessary  to  know  the 
use  of  the  law,  and  why  it  is  given  us. 
Tiiefirstuse       The  first    use  is  civil  and  external,  forbiddinff  and 

of  the  law.  o       i-  •  i     •  t 

punishing  the  transgression  of  politic  and  civil  ordinance, 
iTim.  i.  9.  as  Paul  writeth,  1  Tim.  i. :  "The  law  is  given  to  the 
unjust."  Wherefore  God  commandeth  the  magistrates  and 
superior  powers  of  the  earth  to  punish  the  transgressors 
of  the  law  made  for  the  preservation  of  every  common- 
Dcut.  xix.   wealth,  as  we  read,  Deut.  xix.,  "•  Thou  shalt  remove  the 

19  21. 

ill  done  in  the  commonwealth,  that  other  may  fear  to 
do  the  same :  thou  shalt  have  no  pity"  upon  the  trans- 
gressor ;  for  such  pity  as  is  used  of  man  against  this  com- 
mandment towards  the  transgressors  is  rather  a  maintenance 
of  ill,  than  works  of  mercy. 
The  second        The  second  use  of  the  law  is  to  inform  and  instruct 

use  of  the  .....  „  ,  : 

law.  man  aright,  what  sin  is,  to  accuse  us,  to  lear  us,  and  to 
damn  us  and  our  justice,  because  we  perform  not  the 
law  as  it  is  required,  Rom.  i.  and  vii.  Howbeit  the  law 
concludeth  all  men  under  sin,  not  to  damn  them,  but  to 
save  them,  if  they  come  to  Christ.  Rom.  xi.  Gal.  iii. 

To  whom  These  two  uses  of  the  law  appertain  as  well  unto  the 

these  two      _  '■  ^ 

tafn  infideles,  as  to  the  fideles ; '  to  such  as  be  not  regenerated, 
as  to  those  that  be  regenerated  :  for  those  that  she  cannot 
bring  to  Christ,  she  damneth. 

Tiie  third         The  third  use  of  the  law  is  to  shew  unto  the  Christians 

use  of  the 

law.  what  works  God  requireth  of  them.  For  he  would  not 
that  we  should  feign  works  of  our  own  brains  to  serve  him 
withal,  as  the  bishops''  laws  that  teacheth  another  faith, 
and  other  works  than  the  old  testament  or  the  new;  but 
requireth  us  to  do  the  works  commanded  by  him,  as  it  is 
Matt.  XV.  9.  written.  Matt,  xv.,  "  They  worship  me  in  vain  with  the 
Psai.  cxix.  precepts  of  men."  Therefore  David  saith,  "  Thy  word. 
Lord  God,  is  the  light  unto  my  feet."  Psalm  cxix.  By  the 
knowledge  of  this  law  we  judge  all  other  men's  writings, 
Christians  and  ethnicks,  whether  they  write  well  or  ill: 
and  without  a  right  knowledge  in  this  law  no  doctrine 
can  be  known,  whether  it  be  true  or  false. 

This  law  judgeth,  who  defended  -  the  better  part,  Marcion 
or  Tertullian;  Augustine  or  Arius ;  Christ  and  his  apostles, 

\}  The  infidels  as  well  as  them  that  believe,  C]  , 
P  Defended:  defendeth,  A.] 


OF   THE  USE  OF   THE  LAW, 


283 


or  Caiaphas  and  his  college  of  scribes  and  Pharisees ;  the 
poor  preachers,  that  with  danger  of  life  set  forth  the  glory 
of  God,  or  the  pope  with  his  college  of  cardinals,  that 
with  wicked  laws  study  to  deface  the  glory  and  majesty 
of  Christ's  church ;  where  and  what  is  the  catholic  church 
of  the  Christians,  and  where  the  synagogue  of  antichrist? 
No  falsehood  can  be  hid,  if  men  seek  the  truth  with  this 
light. 

If  we  examine  our  deeds  or  other  men''s  by  this  law 
or  canon,  we  shall  soon  perceive  whether  they  please  God 
or  displease.  If  we  be  praised  and  have  an  honest  estima- 
tion among  people,  bring  both  our  conscience  and  praise 
of  the  world  unto  this  rule  of  God's  word ;  and  then  shall 
every  man  judge  himself,  whether  he  be  inwardly  the  same 
man  that  people  esteem  him  for  outwardly.  In  case  man 
sustain  likewise  dispraise  and  contempt  of  such  as  be  in 
the  world,  if  the  law  of  God  bear  testimony  with  his 
conscience,  that  it  is  rather  the  malice  of  the  world  than 
his  demerits  that  oppresseth  thus  his  good  fame  with  the 
burden  of  slander;  he  shall  rather  rejoice  that  God  hath 
preserved  him  from  the  crimes  that  he  is  falsely  accused 
of,  than  impatiently  suffer  the  malicious  world  maliciously 
to  judge  God  to  be  evil'',  as  it  is  his  accustomed  manner. 

This  law  judgeth,  that  Aristotle '  in  his  morals  teacheth 
better  doctrine,  when  he  condemneth  the  external  fact, 
iji  case  the  mind  and  will  concur  not  to  the  doing  thereof, 
than  the  bishops  in  their  decrees,  that  attribute  the  re- 
mission of  sin  neither  to  contrition,  nor  faith,  neither  to 
Christ,  but  unto  the  external  sprinkling  of  a  drop  of  water. 
For  thus  they  say  of  the  water  and  of  the  bread  in  the 
exorcism  or  conjuration  of  the  water,  Fias  aqua  eccorcizata 
e^d  effagandam  omnem  potestatem,  inimici.  etc.^,  "  I  conjure, 
thee  in  the  name  of  God,""  as  it  is  at  the  beginning  of 

['  good  to  be  ill,  A.] 

^  "En  oiSe  ojxoiov  ecrrcv  im  re  Twv  re^vav  Koi  rav  aperwv'  ra  ^iv  yap- 
VTTO  Toov  Te^(va>v  k.  t.  X.  *  *  *  *  ra  Se  Kara  ras  operas  yivofxeva  ovk,  iav  avrd 
Tras  exV'  3"f<"<»r  V  Tcocppovocis  Trparrerai,  dXKa  Kal  iav  6  Trparrav  TTcoy  €)(^ci)V 
nparrrj'  rrparov  fiev  iav  ciScor,  emir  iav  Trpoaipovfitvos,  Kal  TTpoaipovp.evos 
Bi  avra,  to  de  rp'vrov  Kal  iav  fie^aias  Kal  a.p.eraKivrjrais  i'x<^v  Trparrr). 
Avist.  de  Moribus,  Lib.  ii.  cap.  iv.  see  also  cap.  vi.] 

p  Drdo  ad  faciendam  aquam  benedictain.    Missale  llomanum 
dec  i.  i.  Cone.  Trident,  rest.  I'ii.  v.  Pont.  Max.  jussi^  edituni.] 


284  A  DECLARATION  OP  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  {OH. 

the  conjuration,  "  to  be  a  water  blessed  to  expel  all  the 
power  of  the  devil."  Of  the  bread  thus:  Benedic,  Domine, 
istam  creaturam  panis^  ut  omnes  gustantes  ex  eo  tarn  corporis 
quam  animce  recipiant  sanitatem ;  that  is  to  say,  "  Bless,  Lord, 
this  bread,  that  as  many  as  taste  thereof  may  receive  health, 
both  of  body  and  soul'."  By  this  law  thou  mayst  judge 
who  defendeth  the  better  opinion ;  Numa  Pompilius,  that 
forbid  images,  or  else  the  bishops'  laws,  that  say,  idols 
can  teach  the  unlearned  people,  and  be  to  be  used.  Bring 
the  matter  to  judgment,  and  see  which  opinion  God's  law 
will  defend.  Non  facies^  inquit  Deus,  sculptile  aut  ullam 
similitudinem,  "  Thou  shalt  make  no  image,"  &c.  Whose 
law  is  more  consonant  with  God's  laws ;  the  decrees  and 
precepts  of  Cato,  that  saith,  Parentes  ama,  magistratum 
metue ;  that  is  to  say,  "  Love  thy  father,  and  fear  the  ma- 
gistrate ;"  or  the  bishops'  laws,  that  park  young  children 
in  cloisters,  that  never  know  their  parents'  need ;  and 
likewise  exempt  the  clergy  from  all  obedience  of  the  higher 
powers  ? 

Exod.  XX.  God's  laws  saith  with  Cato,  Honora  parentes :  Omnis  anima 
Hom.xiii.  i.potestatibus  supereminentibus  subdita  sit,  Rom.  xiii. ;  Exod. 

XX.,  that  is  to  say,  "  Honour  thy  father,  and  every  man  be  sub- 
ject unto  the  superior  powers."  The  Romans  reprehended 
and  deposed  likewise  the  tyrant  Nero  for  his  cruelty,  and 
killed  the  vicious  prince  Tarquinius  Sextus  for  vitiating  of 
the  chaste  matron  Lucretia.  The  bishops'  laws  saith  thus  : 
8i  Papa  suw  et  fraternce  salutis  negligens  deprehenditur, 
inutilis,  et  remissus  in  suis  operibus,  et  insuper  a  bono  taci- 
turnus,  quod  magis  officit  sibi  et  omnibus ;  nihilominus  innu- 
merabiles  populos  catermtim  secum  ducat,  primo  mancipio 
Gehennce,  cum  ipso  plagis  multis  in  ceternuin  vapulaturus ; 
hujus  culpas  istic  redarguere  prcesumit  mortalium  nullus : 
quia  cunctos  judicaturu^,  ipse  a  nemine  judicandus' :  that 
is  to  say,  "  If  the  pope  care  neither  for  his  own  health, 
neither  for  his  brother's ;  be  found  unprofitable  and  neg- 

P  Benedic,  Domine,  creaturam  istam,  ut  sit  remedium  salutare  generi 
humano :  et  praesta  per  invocationem  sancti  nominis  tui,  ut  quicunque 
ex  ea  sumpserint,  corporis  sanitatem  et  animse  tutelam  accipiant.  Bene- 
dictio  panis.    Missale  Romanum.] 

P  Corpus  Juris  Canon.  Paris  1687.  Tom.  i.  p.  53.  Decreti.  1  Pars. 
Distinct,  xl.  col.  6.] 


II.] 


OP  THK   USE  OF   THE  LAW. 


285 


ligent  in  his  works ;  further,  a  man  apt  to  do  no  good, 
(so  I  English  taciturnm  a  bono,  i.  qui  sua  natura  omni 
honestate  probitateque  facile  tacet,)  that  hurteth  himself  and 
other,  leadeth  with  him  people  innumerable  by  legions  unto 
the  devil,  to  be  punished  with  him  in  pains  most  dolorous 
for  ever;  being  pope,  no  mortal  man  should  presume  to 
reprehend  his  faults;  for  he  judgeth  all  men,  and  is  to  be 
judged  of  no  man."  What  law  was  there  ever  written  more 
pernicious  or  contrary  unto  God's  laws  than  this  ? 

Cyrillus  against  Julianus^  allegeth  the  writings  of  the 
philosopher  Pythagoras,  who  proveth  to  be  one  only  God, 
who  made,  and  preserveth  only'  the  things  made.    So  doLib.  ii.  De 
Sophocles*,  Cicero,  Lib.  ii.  of  the  Nature  of  Gods,   Lib.  i.  [T9,"&c*r'' 
Tuscul.  qucost.  Lib.  I.  de  Legibus,  Seneca''  unto  Lucilius,  Epist.  /ib^t.^mf' 
Lib.  XV.    Bring  these  ethnicks'  laws  unto  the  word  of  God  ii*b.\\^[7.]^' 
with  the  law  of  bishops,  that  teacheth  the  invocation  and  xv.'^*' 
aid  of  saints  departed  out  of  this  world  ;  and  then  thou  shalt 
see  that  the  ethnicks'  laws  are  approved  by  God's  word,  and 
the  bishops'  laws  condemned.    For  God's  laws  saith,  "  I  uxod.  xx.  3. 

Deut.  V.  7. 

am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  thou  shalt  have  no  more  before 

my  face."    Exod.  xx.;  Deut.  v.     And  if  we  pray  for  any 

thing,  God's  word  commandeth  to  ask  in  Christ's  name. 

J ohn  xiv.    Seeing  the  knowledge  and  use  of  God's  word  is  John  xiv. 

so  necessary,  and  only  telleth  us  what  is  good  and  what  is 

ill,  what  true  and  what  false,  every  man  should  give  diligence 

to  know  it,  setting  all  other  business  of  the  world  apart. 

P  Itaque  Pythagoras  dicit:  Dens  quidem  imus,  et  ipse  non,  ut 
quidam  suspicantur,  extra  mundi  gubernationem,  sad  in  ipso  totus 
in  toto  circnlo,  omnes  generationes  considerat,  contemperatio  existens 
omnium  seculorum,  et  lux  suarum  virtutum  et  operum,  principium 
omnium,  lumen  in  coelo,  et  pater  omnium,  mens  et  animatio  omnium, 
circulorum  omnium  motio.  Cyrilli,  Op.  Paris.  1573,  Tom.  11.  col.  626, 
B.   Contra  Julianum,  Lib.  i.] 

[*  Preserveth  only :  alone  preserveth.] 

Quin  et  Sophocles  sic  dixit  de  Deo :  Unus,  verissime  unus  est  Deus, 
qui  coelum  ordinavit,  et  terram  ingentem,  pontique  jucundam  undam, 
et  ventorum  vim.  Plerique  autem  mortales,  &c.  Ibid.  col.  627,  E. 
See  Soph.  Fragm.  li.  Brunck.  with  the  editor's  note.] 

Hsec  exemplaria  rerum  omnium  Deus  intra  se  habet,  etc.  Seneca 
Epist.  ad  Lucil.  lxv.  See  the  whole  Epistle.  The  reference  xv.  appears 
to  be  a  mistake.] 


286  A   DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  |^CH. 


CAPUT  III. 

A    PREPARATION    UNTO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 

nilesas^p^e-  MosEs,  before  he  repeateth  the  ten  commandments  in 
paratives.  ^}^q  ijook  of  DeuteroHomy,  prescribeth  certain  necessary 
rules  and  instructions,  which  he  useth  as  preparatives  and 
means  to  dispose  and  make  apt  the  hearts  of  the  people  to 
receive  this  holy  and  most  blessed  sermon  of  Almighty  God, 
the  ten  commandments,  with  condign  honour  and  reverence ; 
and  that  this  law  and  precepts  might  work  their  operation 
and  virtue  in  man,  which  is,  to  purge  and  cleanse  the  soul 
and  mind  from  all  unwholesome  and  contagious  disease  and 
sickness  of  sin,  and  to  preserve  the  body  in  health  and  all 
honesty  of  life. 

As  a  purgation  made  for  the  body  (which  Galenua 
calleth  humorum  qui  sua  qualitate  molestant  evacuationem, 
that  is  to  say,  cleansing  of  such  humours  as  be  hurtful,) 
many  times  worketh  not  his  operation  by  reason  of  the  ill 
temperature  of  the  body,  or  else  of  the  region  that  too 
much  by  reason  of  heat  draweth  humours  of  man  into  the 
exterior  parts  of  the  body :  so  the  word  of  God,  poured 
into  the  ears  and  understanding  of  man,  worketh  not  many 
times  his  operation  in  cleansing  the  soul  from  the  humours 
and  corruption  of  sin,  by  reason  of  the  ill  temperature  and 
disposition  of  the  persons  that  useth  to  read  and  hear  the 
scripture.  As  the  physician  therefore  giveth  the  patient 
first  some  preparative,  to  dispose  and  make  apt  the  body 
to  receive  the  purgation  with  fruit  and  commodity,  so  doth 
Moses  prepare  first  to  make  his  auditors  apt  to  hear  the 
commandments,  that  afterward  they  might  receive  them 
with  fruit  and  profit.  How  to  proceed  in  the  science  and 
practice  of  physic,  learn  of  Galen  and  Hippocrates,  or  of 
such  as  professeth  that  art. 
Seven  rules  My  purpose  is  to  shew,  how  Moses  proceedeth  in  the 
serving:  as  celestial  science  of  divinity,  to  cure  the  soul  of  man.  He 
\o  the  law  prescribeth  unto  his  audience  seven  rules,  or  precepts, 
wherewith  he  prepareth  them  unto  the  receiving  of  the  teii 
commandments;  and  without  them  it  availeth  nothing  to 


III.]  A  PREPARATION  TO   THE  COMMANDMENTS.  287. 

hear  or  read  the  commandments,  or  any  other  place  of  the 
scripture. 

The  first  rule  is,  confidence  and  a  right  persuasion  of  The  first 
God's  word,  that  all  his  promises  be  true ;  and  will  doubt- 
less give  the  good  promised  unto  the  good,  and  the  ill  pro- 
mised unto  the  ill,  though  it  seem  never  so  impossible  unto 
the  flesh.  This  preparative  is  most  necessary  for  all  men, 
that  will  be  the  disciples  and  hearers  of  God's  word.  For 
when  men  think  that  God  is  not  indeed  as  severe,  and  will 
punish  sin  according  as  it  is  written  in  his  commandments, 
and  likewise  favour  and  preserve  them  that  fear  him ;  they 
never  take  profit,  nor  never  shall  do,  in  hearing  or  reading 
the  scripture  ;  for  they  have  no  more  credence  to  it  than  to 
a  vain  and  faithless  tale. 

This  misbelief  and  increduHty  towards  God's  word  is  the 
occasion  and  let,  that  the  word  heard  or  readen  worketh  not 
his  operation,  and  the  man  no  better  at  night  than  in  the 
morning,  in  age  than  in  youth.  Moses  therefore  persuadeth 
them  unto  a  certain  right  confidence,  saying,  Ecce,  dedi  in 
conspectu  mstro  terrain,  venite  et  possidete  terram  quam  juravif 
Dominus  patribus  mstris  Abraham,  Isaac,  et  Jacob,  ut  dmet 
eis  atque  semini  eorum  post  eos :  Deut.  i.,  that  is  to  say,  Deut.  i.  8. 
"  Behold,  I  have  presented  before  your  face  the  land  which 
the  Lord  promised  to  give  unto  your  fathers,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  to  their  posterity :  come  and  possess 
ye  the  land."  Jacob  and  his  posterity  were  in  such  bondage 
in  Egypt,  that  it  seemed  impossible  that  ever  they  should 
possess  the  land  of  Canaan  promised  by  God.  Read  the 
fourteen  first  chapters  of  Exodus,  and  see.  Then,  as  thou 
canst  not  choose  but  believe  him  to  be  true  in  the  one 
promise  of  his  help  towards  the  good ;  so  believe  him  that 
he  will  likewise  punish  the  ill.  Though  he  suffer  and  dis- 
semble for  a  time  at  our  sin,  to  call  us  unto  penance,  Rom.  Rom.  ii.  4. 
i.,  yet  at  length  we  shall  be  assured  he  will  keep  promise 
as  well  in  punishing  the  ill,  as  in  doing  good  to  those  that 
repent.  If  thou  read  the  scripture,  thou  shalt  find  exam- 
ples of  both,  how  he  favoured  and  kept  promise  with  the 
good  and  the  bad :  Noha  saved  and  his  family ;  the  whole 
world  damned  with  water :  Lot  saved,  and  the  cities  burned. 
Josua  and  Caleb  entered  the  land  promised ;  all  the  rest 
died  for  their  sin  in  the  desert.    If  thou  canst  not  read 


288  A  DECLARATION  OF  THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


to  stablish  thy  faith  in  the  word  of  God,  yet  canst  thou  lack 
no  master  to  teach  thee  this  confidence  in  God.    Turn  thine 
eye  of  which  side  thou  hst,  up  or  down.    Behold  the  birds 
Matt.  vi.  26.  of  the  air  and  the  flowers  of  the  field,  Matt.  vi.  Luke  xii., 

Luke  xu.  '  ' 

22-  and  acknowledge  not  only  the  power  of  God  that  made  them, 

but  also  his  providence  in  feeding  and  apparelling  them ; 
for  they  be  seals  and  confirmations  of  God's  promises,  that 
will  clothe  thee,  feed  thee,  and  help  thee  in  all  necessities. 
They  were  not  created  only  to  be  eaten  and  smell ed^  unto,  but 

Matt.  vi.  30.  to  teach  thee  to  credit  and  believe  God's  promises.  Matt.  vi. ; 
Luke  xii. 

The  second       The  sccoud  rule  or  preparative  is,  that  thou  have  a  right 

preparative.      ..  .^^  .  ° 

opmion  of  the  magistrates  and  superior  powers  of  the  earth, 
that  thou  give  them  no  more,  neither  no  less  honour  nor 
reverence,  than  the  word  of  God  commandeth.  This  he  de- 
clareth  by  the  twelve  princes  that  were  sent  to  explorate 
and  search  the  privities  and  condition  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 
Two  of  them  persuaded  the  people  to  believe  God's  promise, 
and  not  to  fear  the  people  that  dwelled  in  the  land ;  unto 
these  godly  princes  was  no  faith  nor  credit  given  of  the 
people.  The  princes  that  persuaded  the  thing  contrary  unto 
God  were  believed  of  the  people,  and  their  counsel  admitted. 
By  this  we  learn,  that  such  magistrates,  as  persuade  the 
people  by  God's  word,  should  be  believed  and  obeyed,  the 
other  not.  In  the  cause  of  conscience  there  must  God 
Acts  iv.  19.  only  be  heard.  Acts  v.  Matt,  x.,  or  else  people  shall 
iiatt!  x.  28.  fail  of  a  right  faith.  For  he  that  knoweth  not  what  his 
duty  is  to  God  and  his  laws,  will  believe  rather  a  lie  with 
his  forefathers,  than  the  truth  with  the  word  of  God ; 
and  this  man  is  no  meet  auditor  nor  disciple  of  the  word 
of  God. 

For  lack  of  this  preparative,  the  world  hath  erred  from 
the  truth  this  many  years,  to  the  dishonour  of  God  and 
danger  of  christian  souls.  Men  doth  not  look  what  God's 
word  saith,  but  extolleth  the  authority  of  man's  laws,  pre- 
ferring the  decree  of  a  general  or  provincial  council  before 
the  word  of  God :  which  hath  brought  this  abomination 
and  subversion  of  all  godly  doctrine  into  the  church  of 
Christ. 

The  third         'jjjg  third  preparative  is  obedience  both  unto  God  and 

preparative. 

Spellyd/  A,  spelled,  B.] 


nr.] 


A    PREPARATION   TO    THE  COMMANDMENTS. 


289 


man.  It  were  as  good  never  to  read  the  scripture,  nor  to 
hear  sermon,  in  case  we  mind  not  to  obey  unto  the  word  of 
God  spoken  or  readen.  Therefore  doth  Moses  upbraid^  and 
reprehend  them,  Deut.  i.,  when  they  knew  the  land  to  be 
good  by  the  fruit  that  the  twelve  princes  brought  unto  them, 
that^  they  would  not  proceed  forth  in  their  journey  to  possess 
the  land,  but  murmured  against  God ;  wherefore  they  pe- 
rished in  the  desert. 

Therefore  we  must  bring  with  us  unto  the  reading  of 
the  word  of  God  obedience,  and  be  ready  to  do  everything 
it  commandeth,  though  it  seem  never  so  difficile  :  as  Abra- 
ham did  in  leaving  his  country.  Gen,  xii.  and  offering  his  son  Gen.  xii.  i. 
Gen.  xxii.  and  as  Christ  commandeth  all  that  will  be  his  Gen.  xxii.  a. 
disciples.  Matt.  x.  Luke  xiv.    The  thing  that  God  com-  JJf^g^'^iV^^' 
mandeth  must  be  obeyed,  what  danger  soever  happen ;  yea,  if  26. 
it  be  the  loss  of  our  life.     Luke  ix.  xvii.  Matt.  xvi.   Likewise  Jia^t  xv';.^'" 
the  commandment  of  the  superior  powers,  and  no  man  ^s- 
should  detract,  neither  deny  his  obedience,  because  he  is  a 
Christian,  1  Peter  ii.  Rom.  xiii.  Eph.  vi.  Col.  iii.  Tit.  ii.;  not  {^o^'; 
only  with  eye-service,  but  from  the  heart ;  sustaining  not  only  ^f'^^'^i 
such  charges  as  the  necessities  of  the  commonwealth  shall 
require,  but  also  with  life  to  defend  the  same,  not  fearing 
how  strong  an  enemy  is  against  him,  nor  how  many  ;  but 
rather  to  consider  how  strong  God  is,  that  hath  promised  to 
preserve  every  man's  right,  and  given  commandment  that  no 
man  shall  do  the  other  wrong.  Deut.  v.  Exod.  v.   Non  fades  Deut.  v.  17, 

=>  •'  18,19,  &c. 

furtum ;  "  Commit  not  theft."  Again,  Honora  parentes ; 
"  Honour  thy  father the  which  commandment  requireth 
obedience  to  all  superior  powers.  Only  obey  the  word  of 
God,  whatsoever  shall  happen  unto  man  in  his  godly  vocation, 
as  Moses  commanded,  Deut.  xx.  "  If  thou  see  horsemen  Deut.  xx.  1. 
and  chariots  more  than  thou  hast,  fear  not ;  God  is  with 
thee,"  as  we  have  example  in  Abraham,  Gedeon,  Josaphat, 
and  others. 

The  fourth  preparative  is,  that  they  should  observe  the  The  fourth 

common  laws  used  among  all  people,  which  is  called  jm 

gentium  ;  that  they  should  peaceably  pass  by  the  possessions 

of  the  children  of  Esau,  the  Mount  Seir,  and  Hkewise  by 

the  Moabites ;  not  to  molest  them,  neither  their  goods,  but 

buy  such  things  as  they  wanted  for  money,  till  they  passed 

P  Abraide,  A,  abrayde,  B.]         P  That,  supplied  from  C] 

r  1  19 

[hooper.J 


290  A   DECLARATION    OF   THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH.! 

their  limits  and  bounds ;  the  which  law  bound  them  not  to 
spoil,  rob,  and  burn  wheresoever  they  came,  as  well  their 
friends  as  their  foes,  as  it  is  used  in  our  time  among 
Christians,  that  say,  Silent  leges  inter  arma  ;  that  is  to  say, 
"  Laws  be  dispensed  withal  in  the  time  of  war."  Contrary 
unto  this  devilish  opinion,  God  required  them  to  pass  as 
true  men,  and  not  as  thieves ;  as  those  that  were  obedient 
unto  all  honest  and  godly  laws,  and  not  as  exempt  and  pri- 
vileged persons  from  all  virtues  and  godliness. 
The  fifth  The  fifth  preparative  is,  that  they  should  esteem  this  doc- 

preparative.     .         oi  i  •  i  iiii 

trme  oi  the  commandments  as  it  was  worthy,  and  declared 
the  estimation  thereof  with  many  reasons  :  the  first,  of  the 
The  esti-    utiHtv  and  profit  that  it  bringeth.    Whereof  he  speaketh 

mation  of.,      „,  pt-w  t  •  • 

the  law.     m  the  fourth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy :  awe  est  sapientm  et 

Deut  iv.6.  intelligentia  vestra  coram  populo ;  that  is  to  say,  "This  is  your 
wisdom  and  prudence  before  the  people this  is  the  doctrine 
only  and  law  that  teacheth  how  to  live  well,  and  to  avoid 
the  displeasure  both  of  God  and  man,  and  leadeth  to  eternal 

Deut.  iv.  7.  felicity.  "  What  other  people  is  there  of  the  world,"  saith 
Moses,  "  that  hath  their  gods  as  present  as  our  Lord 
God,  as  many  times  as  we  invocate  and  call  upon  him?" 
This  doctrine  was  given  from  heaven,  and  the  author 
thereof  is  God :  a  doctrine  always  to  be  learned  and  observed, 
not  in  paper  or  parchment,  but  in  the  heart  of  man,  and 
daily  taught  unto  the  world,  as  the  manner  of  the  giving 

Exod.  xix.  of  it  declareth.  Exod.  xxix.  Unto  all  the  people  it  was 
preached,  not  in  an  obscure  and  dark  place,  but  in  the 
mount,  clearly  and  openly,  that  no  man  should  doubt  of  it, 
as  though  it  came  out  of  Trophonius'  cave.  Saint  Patrick's 
purgatory,  or  the  privy  chamber  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  : 
both  the  law  and  the  lawgiver  known  of  all  the  people. 
Minos  was  familiar  with  J upiter,  as  the  poets  feign.  Numa 
had  communication  with  JEgera  the  goddess,  but  no  man 
was  record  thereof :  he  might  therefore  feign  what  he  list, 
as  many  superstitious  hypocrites  hath  done. 

There  appeared  unto  Gregorie  a  child  in  the  bread  of 
the  altar  \  the  which  vision,  if  it  were  true,  was  devilish, 

['  Nos  sane  credimus  post  benedictionem  ecclesiasticam  ilia  mysteria 
esse  verum  corpus  et  sanguinem  Salvatoris,  adducti  et  veteris  ecclesise 
auctoritate  et  multis  noviter  ostensis  miraculis.  Quale  fuit  illud  quod 
beatus  Gregorius  exhibuit  Romse;  quale  quod  Paschasms  narrat  conti- 


III.]  A    PREPARATION   TO   THE   COMMANDMENTS.  291 

and  wrought  by  the  devil  to  deceive  the  people  of  God. 
Brygitta^  saw  likewise  in  her  contemplations  wonders.  The 
bishops  in  their  Decretals  seeth  likewise  marvels  and  mys- 
teries*, that  no  man  else  can  see,  except  he  be  sworn  to 
renounce  God's  laws  ;  for  they  teach  one  faith,  and  the 
gospel  another ;  one  kind  of  good  works,  and  Christ  another. 

This  law  is  of  another  sort  and  perfection,  openly  mani- 
fested by  God,  not  unto  one  prince  or  learned  man,  not 
unto  twelve  or  seventy  heads  and  principals  among  the 
people,  but  unto  all  the  whole  congregation ;  and  not  sud- 
denly, but  with  great  deliberation  and  preparation  of  the 
people  for  the  space  of  three  days.  Exod.  xix.  This  Exod.  xix. 
law  therefore  Moses  would  the  people  to  esteem  as  a  thing 
of  all  things  most  to  be  esteemed ;  as  they  do  nothing  at 
all,  that  say  the  scripture  containeth  not  all  necessary  doc- 
trine for  the  health  of  man,  but  needeth  man's  decrees. 

The  sixth  preparative  is,  a  true  and  right  understand-  The  sixth 

„  .        ,       1,7  .  preparative. 

mg  01  the  law ;  not  to  constram  the  letter  against  the 
mind  of  the  text,  but  behold  always  the  consent  of  the 
scripture,  and  to  do  no  wrong  unto  the  Author  thereof. 

Some  men  call  this  a  dispensation  of  the  law,  when 
the   extremity  thereof  cannot  with  justice  and  equity  be 
executed  against  the  transgressor;    as  we  see  Deut.   iv.  oeut. iv.41. 
where  Moses  appointeth  certain  cities  to  be  as  refuges  cr 
sanctuaries  for  them  that  by  chance  or  against  their  will 

gisse  Alemanniee,  presbyterum  Plegildum  visibiliter  speciem  pueri  in 
altare  contrectasse,  et  post  libata  oscula  in  panis  similitudinem  conversiim, 
&c.    Malms,  de  gestis  reg.  Angl.  Lib.  iii.] 

\y  Brygitta.  Brigida,  devotissima  Christi  niulier,  Suetife  princeps. 
Platina.  Her  revelations  were  printed  in  eight  books,  which  John  de 
Torquemada  defended  in  the  council  of  Basil.  Sion  House,  in  Middle- 
sex, was  once  a  monastery  of  the  order  of  Saint  Bridget.] 

In  the  "  Vitae  Patrum/'  Par.  i.  cap.  162,  is  a  story  "of  a  Hebrew 
man  that  saw  a  child  between  the  hands  of  Saint  Basil,  when  he  divided 
the  body  of  our  Lord."  The  child,  as  it  seemed  to  him,  was  by  this  said 
Basil  parted  and  divided,  and  the  chalice  seemed  filled  with  blood. — Pas- 
chasius  Radbertus,  in  his  treatise  on  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  cap.  xiv. 
relates  a  story  of  a  priest,  who  prayed  earnestly  to  behold  the  real  presence. 
— Tum  venerabilis  presbyter  pavidus,  ab  imo  vultum  erigens,  vidit  super 
aram  Patris  filium,  puerum,  &c.  Hence,  one  of  the  questions  among 
the  schoolmen  is,  "  Utrum  quando  in  hoc  Sacramento  miraculose  apparet 
caro  vel  puer,  sit  ibi  vere  corpus  Christi."  Tho.  Aquin.  Vol.  11.  Par.  3. 
Qusest.  76.  Art.  8.] 

19—2 


292         A   DECLARATION   OP    THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


should  happen  to  kill  any  man.     The  law  is,  that  who- 
soever shed  the  blood  of  man,  shall  satisfy  the  law  with 
Gen.  ix.6.  his  blood  again.    Gen.  ix.  Matt.  xxvi.  Apoc.  xiii.  This 

Matt*  xxvi* 

52.  law  extendeth  not  as  far  as  the  words  sound,  but  as  far 

as  the  mind  of  the  letter  permitteth ;   that  is  to  say, 
unto  such  as  of  hatred,  rash  and  wilful  madness,  or  to 
satisfy  an  ill   and  undigested  passion,  that  hateth  his 
neighbour,  killeth  his  neighbour,  contemneth  God  in  the 
superior  powers,  who  should  reverence  and  punish  the  ill- 
doer,  and  not  he  himself.     Those  and  such-like  should 
suffer  death  again,  and  not  such  as  kill  against  their  will. 
Thus  doth  the  scripture  of  God   interpretate  itself,  and 
sheweth  how  every  law  should  be  understood :  the  which  is 
a  very  necessary  rule  and  precept  to  be  always  observed 
everywhere,  lest  the  figure^  and  force  of  the  letter  should 
do  injuries  unto  any  circumstance  of  the  text. 
Two  things        Therefore  I  would  every  man  in  the  reading  of  the 
ed  in  every  scripture  should  mark  two  things  in  every  doubtful  text: 
tert'':*'^^^     first,  the  consent  of  other  places ;  then,  the  allegory  of  the 
senTof  other  letter.     As  for  an  example,  this  proposition  Matt,  xxvi.: 
al^Tifeaiie-  "  '^^^^  ^®  ™y  hody."     First,  look  the  other   places  of 
fetter?*^*^*  the  scripture,  what  Christ's  body  is,  and  what  qualities  it 
hath ;  how  it  was  conceived  and  born,  and  whither  it  is 
ascended.    Then  thou  shalt  by  the  consent  of  other  places 
be  constrained  to  understand  these  words  according  to  the 
analogy  or  proportion  of  faith,  and  not  after  the  letter. 
Then  consider  by  the  scripture,  why  Christ  by  an  allegory 
called  the  bread  his  body,  and  the  wine  his  blood.  Then 
it  shall  be  easy  to  understand,  that  they  be  rather  con- 
firmations of  our  faith,  than  the  body  itself:  sacraments 
Rom.  iv.  11.  and  memorials  of  the  things  past,  and  not  the  thing  they 

represent  and  signify.    Rom.  iv. 
The  seventh       The  Seventh  preparative  is,  to  add  nothing  unto  this  law, 
preparative,  j^gj^j^g^.       ^^^^^       thing  from  it.    Who  can  be  a  conve- 
nient disciple  of  God  and  his  doctrine,  that  believeth  not 
all  things,  and  every  thing  necessary  for  the  salvation  of  man, 
to  be  contained  openly  and  plainly  in  the  scripture  canonical? 
Or  how  can  he  be  a  christian  man,  that  believeth  one  com- 
mandment of  God,  and  not  the  other  ?   He  that  said,  "  Thou 
Deut.  iv.  2.  shalt  have  but  one  God,"  saith  Hkewise,  "  Thou  shalt  neither 

[}  Rigure,  A,  figure,  B,  vigor,  C] 


111.]  A   PREPARATION  TO   THE   COMMANDMENTS.  293 

add  nor  take  any  thing  from  the  scripture,"  Deut.  iv.,  but 

shalt  observe  it  as  it  is  given.    So  said  Christ,  Matt,  xxviii.;  Matt.xxviii. 

so  saith  Saint  John,  chap,  xxi.:  likewise  in  the  Revelations  of  John  xxj.  24. 

Rgv«  xxil* 

Jesus  Christ  our  Redeemer,  chap.  xxii.    What  is  more  neces-  is. 
sary  for  him,  that  will  read  the  scripture  or  hear  it  preached, 
than  this  preparative  ?    First  to  be  persuaded,  that  all  verity 
and  necessary  doctrine  for  our  salvation  is  contained  therein, 
and  that  the  holy  church  of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and 
apostles,  believed,  preached,  and  died  for  the  same,  and  in  the 
same  doctrine.   If  thy  heart  be  not  thus  prepared,  but  judgest 
that  God's  law  containeth  one  part  of  such  doctrine  as  is 
necessary  for  man's  salvation,  and  the  bishops'  laws  another 
part ;  thou  contemnest  and  dishonourest  the  whole  law 
and  giver  thereof,  and  olFendest  the  commandment  given, 
Deuteronomy  iv.  xii.,  and  Proverbs  xxx.    Read  diligently  geut.  i>.  2. 
those  places.    Further,  remember  that  this  opinion  is  so  vrm.  xxx. 
ungodly,  that  the  whole  scripture  endeth  with  this  sentence : 
"  If  any  man  add  unto  the  word  of  God,  God  will  put  upon 
him  all  the  maledictions  contained  in  the  book.    And  if  any 
man  diminish  any  thing  of  this  prophecy,   God  will  take 
from  him  such  part  as  he  hath  in  the  book  of  life."  Apoca-  fg^i  ™' 
lypse  xxii. 


THE  FIRST  TABLE. 

CAPUT  IV. 

/  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  that  Irought  thee  out  of  Egypt,  from 
the  house  of  servitude :  thou  shalt  have  no  strange  gods 
before  me. 

This  precept  or  commandment  hath  two  members :  the  The  prin- 
first  requireth  that  we  accept,  account,  and  take  the  God  ofthe  first 
that  made  and  preserveth  all  things,  the   God  Sadai^,  ment. 
omnipotent  and  sufficient,  not  only  to  be  God,  but  also  to  be 
our  God,  that  helpeth  us,  succoureth  us,  saveth  us,  and  only 
defendeth  us.    The  second  part  forbiddeth  all  false  gods. 

['  El-Shaddai,  ^ntt^  ^X,  Exod.  vi.  3.] 


294  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

This  first  part  is  the  ground,  original,  and  foundation 
of  all  virtue,  godly  laws,  or  christian  works.  And  where  as 
this  precept  and  commandment  is  not  first  laid,  and  taken 
as  the  only  well  whereof  springeth  all  other  virtues ;  what- 
soever be  done,  seem  it  never  so  glorious  and  holy  unto 
the  world,  it  is  nothing  but  very  superstition  and  hypocrisy, 
Rom.  xiv.    as  Paul  saith,  Rom.  xiv. ;  Heb.  xi. 

Heb.  XI. 

What  putteth  difiference  between  the  death  of  Socrates 
and  Esaias,  Diogenes  and  Hieremy,  Sophocles  and  Zachary, 
Euripides  and  Stephen,  Homer  and  Saint  John  Baptist,  saving 
only  the  knowledge  and  confidence  in  this  commandment, 
"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  V  What  difference  were  there 
between  the  church  of  the  Pharisees,  scribes,  and  hypocrites, 
and  the  church  of  God,  were  not  the  knowledge  of  this  com- 
This  first    maudmeut  that  containeth  two  most  necessary  things,  the 

command-  °  ' 

ment  con-   true  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  true  honour  of  God  ?  Deut. 

tainetn  two  .  '  ..       ..  •  i     p        i  • 

notable      iv.  xu.  Exod.  XIX.  XX.  Gen.  xii.  xvii.    The  which  foundation 

and  ground  of  our  religion  both  the  testaments  every  where 

teacheth :  also  the  image  of  God  in  our  soul.    Though  we 

be  born  in  servitude  of  sin,  and  blind  unto  all  godliness,  such 

a  sparkle  and  dim  light  notwithstanding  remaineth  in  the 

soul,  that  our  own  conscience  crieth  out  against  us,  when 

we  utterly  contemn  the  reverence  and  divine  majesty  of 

God.     As  it  appeareth  by  the  horrible  and  fearful  death 

of  such  as  thought  it  more  easy  to  destroy  their  own  living 

bodies,  than  to  endure  the  conflict  and  dolours  of  their  own 

conscience  with  the  judgment  and  contempt  of  God's  laws ; 

1  Sam.  xxxi.  as  it  is  to  be  seen,  (leaving  profane  examples  apart,)  in  Saul, 

Matt,  xxvii.  and  Judas,  with  all  other  such  in  our  time,  that  are  the 

causers  of  their  own  death. 

Thesubtiity  The  subtilties  of  the  devil  must  be  taken  heed  of  there- 
of the  devil.  .  •  i 

fore,  and  known  betime,  lest  he  shew  us  God  m  another 
form  than  he  sheweth  himself  in  his  word,  and  this  com- 
mandment, where  he  saith  that  he  is  our  God,  to  say,  as 
well  ready  to  punish  us  if  we  contemn  him,  as  to  help  us  if 
we  love  him.  The  devil  goeth  about  another  thing,  and 
would  all  men,  as  long  as  they  have  a  purpose  and  bent 
will  to  sin,  think  that  God  is  a  merciful  God,  a  gentle, 
sweet,  and  figgy^  God,  that  winketh  and  will  not  see  the 
abomination  and  accustomed  doing  of  ill.  But  when  the 
[}  Fyggie,  A  and  B,  loving,  C] 


IV.] 


THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


295 


conscience  feeleth  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  seeketh  re- 
dress, he  ampHfieth  and  exaggerateth  the  greatness  of  sin, 
sheweth  it  as  foul  and  as  horrible  as  it  is  indeed,  and 
more  extenuateth  the  mercy  of  God;  maketh  him  then  a 
cruel  and  an  unmerciful  tyrant,  as  impossible  to  obtain  mercy 
of,  as  to  suck  water  out  of  the  dry  pumps  ^  or  burning  coal. 

Wherefore,  seeing  his  majesty  is  invisible,  and  can- 
not be  known  of  mortal  man,  as  he  is ;  and  likewise 
because  man  giveth  little  credit,  or  none  at  all,  unto  his 
blessed  word,  he  presenteth  all  his  works,  heaven  and  earth, 
unto  man,  to  be  testimonies  and  witness  of  his  great  power ; 
that  man,  seeing  those  creatures  and  wonderful  preserva- 
tion of  the  same,  might  think  upon^  God,  the  maker  of  all 
things,  and  thank  him  with  all  the  heart,  that  he  would 
say  these  words  unto  him,  a  vile  creature  and  worm's  meat : 
"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God."  By  his  works  he  shewed  him- 
self thus  unto  Adam,  Gen.  ii.,  and  unto  the  natural  phi- Gen.  u.  is. 
[losopher,'']  Rom.  i. ;  also  unto  every  reasonable  man,  Deut.  Rom.  i.  20. 
XXX.  Howbeit,  so  far  hath  the  devil  blinded  many  (would  19!"*'  ™'* 
to  God,  only  the  infidels  and  not  such  as  be  accounted 
Christians !)  that  they  take  as  much  knowledge  of  God  by 
the  contemplation  of  his  works,  as  Midas  the  king  by  the 
contemplation  of  his  gold. 

Wherefore,  seeing  we  believe  with  such  difficulty  this 
word  of  God,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,"  and  the  devil 
hath  blindfolded  and  dared  our  sight,  and  so  bewitched 
all  our  senses,  that  we  hear  nor  see  any  thing  to  the 
glory  of  God  and  salvation  of  our  souls ;  he  addeth  yet 
other  testimonies  to  ascertain  us  that  he  is  our  God,  and 
leaveth  nothing  undone,  that  might  draw  us  unto  a  firm 
and  constant  belief  in  him;  setting  before  our  eyes  the 
glorious  and  wonderful  dehverance  and  defence  of  the  people, 
when  he  brought  them  out  of  Egypt.  Such  testimonies 
added  he  unto  his  word  to  stablish  our  faith  always  :  to 
Adam  and  Abel,  when  the  fire  from  heaven  burned  their 
sacrifice.  Gen.  iv.  ix.  xvii.  Exod.  xii.:  so  unto  us,  unto  whom 
he  hath  given  the  same  word,  Rom.  i.  [he]  hath  given  for  the 
confirmation  thereof  his  dear  Son  Jesus  Christ,  born,  dead, 
and  resuscitated  from  death,  to  shew  us  himself,  and  to 

Pumpesse,  A  and  B,  pump,  C] 

Think  of,  A.]  Supplied  from  C] 


296  A   DECIiARATION   OF  THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

teach  us  that  he  is  our  God  to  save  us  from  the  servitude 
of  hell  and  sin,  and  to  help  us  as  many  times  as  we  call 
unto  him  in  Christ's  name.  For  only  in  him  we  come  to 
that  knowledge  of  God,  that  he  will  be  our  God. 

Though  the  Jew  and  the  Turk  know  there  is  but  one 
God,  and  after  their  religion  would  honour  him ;  yet  doubt 
they  whether  he  taketh  cure  of  them,  will  hear  their 
petitions,  will  be  honoured  of  them,  and  how  he  will  be 
honoured.  For  they  have  not  the  word  of  God,  as  Christ 
gave  it,  but  as  they  falsely  interpretate  it,  to  the  con- 
tumely and  dishonour  of  Christ.    But  we  know  him  to  be 

John  i.  18.  our  God,  as  this  commandment  saith,  in  Christ  Jesu.  John  i. 

Matt.  xi.  28.  Matt.  xi.  John  xvi.    When  we  have  a  true  knowledge 

Johnxvi.29.    «  ,  .       ,     ,  .  .      i  •       i  i  ^ 

oi  him  by  his  word,  we  must  give  him  the  same  honour  that 
his  commandment  requireth,  to  say,  obedience  and  fear,  faith 
and  love.    Repeat  the  words  again  of  the  commandment,  and 
mark  them :  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God."    If  he  be  Lord, 
then  hath  he  power  over  body  and  soul ;  obey  him  there- 
fore, lest  he  destroy  them  both.  "Thy  God  :""  if  he  be  God, 
all  things  be  in  his  power,  and  hath  sufficient  both  for  thee 
and  all  other,  and  will  give  it  thee  because  he  is  thy  God. 
He  needeth  for  himself  neither  heaven,  neither  earth,  nor 
any  thing  that  is  therein ;  and  to  put  thee  out  of  doubt 
thereof,  he  brought  not  only  the  people  out  of  Egypt  to 
Rom.  yi.  3.  Warrant  his  promise,  but  also  send  his  only  Son  to  die  for  thy 
5.  '    "  '  sake,  that  he  might  be  thine,  and  thou  his.  Rom.  vi.  Esa.  liii. 
The  effect         The  effect  now  of  this  part  of  the  commandment  is  to 

of  this  com-  ^ 

mandment.  declare  and  bring  man  unto  a  knowledge  of  God,  as  ye 
see ;  and  once  known  by  his  word,  requireth  also  man's 
duty  to  honour  him  in  true  and  perfect  religion,  the  which 
consisfceth  in  fear,  faith,  and  love  :  the  which  three  points 
Moses  diligently  and  at  large  declareth  in  the  6th,  7th, 
8th,  9th,  10th,  11th  chapters  of  Deuteronomy,  and  doth 
nothing  else  in  all  them  but  expound  this  first  command- 
ment. I  will  shew  thee  partly  how ;  and  then  read  the 
places,  and  learn  more  by  thyself. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  chapter  he  sheweth  where- 
fore thou  shouldest  fear  him,  and  keep  his  commandments, 
saying,  "  It  shall  be  to  thy  profit."  This  is  the  manner 
of  all  men  that  would  have  any  thing  done :  first,  to  shew 
what  profit  followeth  the  doing  of  it,  that  the  commodity 


THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


297 


might  excitate  the  mind  and  study  of  him  that  should  do 
it.  Moses  saith,  "  It  shall  be  well  with  thee,  God  will 
multiply  thy  seed,  and  give  thee  a  land  flowing  with  milk 
and  honey."  Now,  if  thou  fear  the  Lord  God,  this  shall 
be  thy  reward,  and  the  same  self  promise  thou  shalt  find 
many  times  annexed  with  the  fear  of  God,  before  thou  come 
to  the  end  of  the  11th  chapter.  All  health  and  joy  fol- 
loweth  the  fear  of  God.  Mark  those  words  well,  and  print 
them  in  thy  heart;  fear  of  no  ill  nor  sickness,  contagious 
air  or  disease,  so  thou  have  this  medicine  of  God's  fear  in 
thy  soul,  which  preserveth  health,  and  expulseth  all  dis- 
eases. 

Galenus  hath  written  books,  De  tuenda  Sanitate,  that  is 
to  say,  to  preserve  health :   so  hath  Hippocrates,  Corne- 
lius Celsus,  and  other.    They  prescribe  those  six  things  to 
be  observed  of  as  many  as  would  live  in  good  health  :  [1.] 
The  temperature  and  condition  of  the  air.    2.  Moderate 
use  of  meat  and  drink.    3.    Motion  and  exercise  of  the 
body,  and  rest  of  the  same.    4.  Sleep  and  watch,  as  the 
complexion  by  nature  shall  in  time  convenient  require.    5.  q^^^^ 
Fulness  and  emptiness  of  the  body.   Gale.  Lib.  ii.  Aph.  j-om^'iy^et 
commenta.  17,  et  Lib.  ii.  de  compos,  medic.     6.   Pertur-  c^^pog  *^ 
bations  and  passions  of  the  mind.    For  many  hath  died  jji,, 
with  such  passions  of  the  mind ;  with  sudden  sorrow,  as  P  q^^ii'^^^, % 
Rutilius®,  Plinius  Lib.  vii.  cap.  86.,  and  M.  Lepidus'';  some  p^P;\^ij 
with  sudden  joy,  as  the  noble  woman  Policrata'',  as  Arist.  ^^p- 
writeth.    So  died  Diagoras,  as  Genius'^  writeth ;  and  other,  ^'j?-  i^-  cap. 
as  ye  may  read,  Plin.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  53,  Valer.  Max.  Lib.  ix. 


Xll. 

.  lib. 

'  cap. 

53. 


[}  Several  of  these  references  are  evidently  wrong.] 

P.  Rutilius  morbo  levi  impeditus,  nuntiata  fratris  repulsa  in 
Consulatus  petitione,  iUico  expiravit.  C.  Plinii  Secundi  Hist,  mundi. 
Lib.  VII.  cap.  xxxvi.  BasUise,  1545,  p.  116.] 

P  Lepidus.  Cum  autem  non  multo  M.  Lepidus  nobilissimse  stir- 
pis,  quem  eventi  anxietate  diximus  mortuum,  &c.  C.  Plinii  Sec.  Hist, 
mundi,  Lib.  vii.  cap.  liii.  p.  124.] 

[*  Policreta. — See  Piut.  de  claris  mulier.] 

Gellius.  Is  Diagoras  tres  filios  adolescentes  habuit,  &c.  Eosque 
omnes  vidit  vincere,  coronarique  eodem  Olympiae  die ;  et  cum  ibi  eum 
tres  adolescentes  amplexi,  coronis  suis  in  caput  patris  positis  suaviaren- 
tur,  cumque  populus  gratulabundus  flores  undique  in  eum  jaceret,  ibi  in 
studio  inspectante  populo,  in  oculis  atque  in  manibus  filiorum  animura 
efflavit.    Auli  Gellii  Noctes  Atticae,  Coloniae,  1641,  pp.  151,  2.] 


298  A    DECLARATION    OF  THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

P^in.^iib.ix.i  cap.  12.    Some  died  for  shame,  as  Diodorus*,  Plin.  Lib.  ii. 

cap.  58 ;  Homer,  Valer.^  Lib.  ix.  cap.  12.  The  physicians 
promiseth  health,  if  these  six  rules  be  observed.  But  God 
saith,  all  those  be  in  vain  without  the  fear  of  him.  Deut. 
xxvii.  xxviii.  xxx.    There  see  the  word  of  God.    And  look 

[2  sam.j  the  second  book  of  the  Kings,  chap.  xxiv.  how  it  was  proved 
true,  where  as  the  pestilence  infected  the  whole  land  of 
Canaan,  from  the  city  of  Dan  unto  the  city  of  Bersabee, 
in  three  days,  so  that  there  died  seventy  thousand  men 
in  that  short  space. 

In  the  end  of  the  sixth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  Moses 
exhorteth  the  people  to  fear  God,  to  avoid  the  punishment 
that  followeth  the  contempt  of  God's  commandment :  and 
this  is  the  most  apt  and  best  way  to  persuade  people  that 
careth  for  no  virtue,  nor  will  not  be  moved  with  any  pro- 
mise or  reward  that  followeth  well  doing.  "  I  am  a  jea- 
lous God,  and  the  Lord  thy  God  is  in  the  middle  of  thee." 
Which  words  declareth,  that  when  people  will  not  obey  his 
commandments,  and  receive  his  love  and  favour,  he  waxeth 
angry,  and  useth  the  extreme  remedy,  the  scourge  of  adver- 
sity, that  whosoever  will  not  willingly  by  fair  means  bow^,  by 
force  shall  be  constrained  to  break ;  for  nothing  can  resist 
when  he  will  punish. 

Three  points      The  first  poiut  therefore  of  religion  is  the  fear  of  God. 

of  religion.  ^  .        _  "  .      ,  i  p 

The  second  is  faith  and  confidence  in  his  word.  Therefore 
saith  Moses  :  Audi^  Israel,  Dominus  Deus  noster  unusest;  that 
Deut.vi.4,5.  is  to  say,  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  God  ;  that 
in  this  one  God  thou  shalt  put  all  thy  trust,  and  believe." 

To  persuade  this  faith  into  their  hearts,  Moses  put 
not  only  the  deliverance  out  of  Egypt  before  their  faces, 
but  also  the  seven  most  mighty  princes  of  the  world : 
Hittites,     Hytheum,  Girgaseum,  Nemorreum,  Cananeum,  Pherizeum, 
Amorites,  '  Hivcum  and  J ebuseum.  Deut.  vii.  And  in  the  same  chapter 
Perizzites,  he  repeateth  and  inculcateth  into  the  ear  this  religion  and 

Hivites,  ^  ° 

Jebusites. 

Deut.  vn.  1.  j-i  jj^  mortibus  repentinis.  Pudore  Diodorus,  sapientise  dialectics 
professor,  lusoria  qusestione  non  protinus  ad  interrogationes  Stilbonis 
dissoluta.    C.  Plinii  Sec.  Hist,  mundi,  Lib.  vii.  cap.  liii.  p.  124.] 

P  Homer.  Non  vulgaris  etiam  Homeri  mortis  causa  fertur:  qui 
in  insula,  quia  qusestionem  a  piscatoribus  propositam  solvere  non  potu- 
isset,  dolore  absumptus  creditur.    Val.  Max.  Lib.  ix.  cap.  xii.  3.] 

P  Bow :  boghe,  A,  bought,  B  and  C] 


IV.] 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


299 


faith,  saying,  Scias  itaqm  quod  Dominus  Deus  tuus  ipse  est  Deus, 
Deus  fidelis,  &c,  that  is  to  say,  "  Know  thou  that  the  Lord  ver.  6. 
thy  Grod,  he  is  the  only  and  true  God,'""  and  so  forth.  Then 
read  unto  the  end  of  the  eleventh  chapter,  how  busy  and 
diligent  Moses  is,  heaping  argument  upon  argument  to  per- 
suade the  people  to  believe  God  and  his  word,  and  to  stablish 
this  commandment,  and  root  it  in  their  and  our  hearts.  All 
the  works  of  God,  heaven  and  earth,  all  the  miracles  wrought 
in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New,  were  done  to  prove 
unto  mortal  man  this  precept  to  be  true,  "  I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God,"  and  by  none  other  thing  but  interpretations  of 
this  commandment  to  stablish  the  veritv  of  this''  word. 

The  third  is  love  :  wherefore  he  saith,  "  Love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
power."  Deut.  vi.  Moses,  in  the  end  of  the  chapter,  sheweth  Deut.  vi.  5. 
wherefore  this  our  God  should  be  loved.  "  He  will  give 
you,"  saith  he,  "  the  land  that  ye  never  deserved,  freely 
for  his  promise  sake."  And  in  the  seventh  chapter  he  pro-  ver.  1. 
miseth  to  destroy  a  people  more  strong  than  they  be.  In 
the  eighth  chapter  he  saith,  that  he  fed  them  in  the  ver.  3. 
wilderness  with  meat  from  heaven,  which  they,  neither  their 
fathers,  never  knew.  By  these  and  other  many  reasons 
he  provoked  the  people  to  this  part  of  religion,  the 
love  of  God.  In  case  any  benefactor,  or  he  that  doeth 
good  to  another,  be  to  be  loved'*,  specially  this  our  God  is 
to  be  loved,  saith  Moses.  We  may  likewise  consider  his 
benefits  towards  us,  and  so  expulse  this  detestable  and  hor- 
rible unkindness  towards  him ;  as  is  the  leaving  unto  us 
of  the  scripture,  whereby  we  know  his  blessed  will,  for  the 
grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  leadeth  us  to  knowledge, 
defendeth  us  from  ill,  and  preserveth  us  in  virtue.  The 
greatest  argument  of  all,  the  birth  and  death  of  his  only 
Son,  given  for  our  redemption. 

Then  doth  Moses  teach  how  we  should  love  him,  Deut.  vi.  Deut.  vi. 
"  with  all  our  heart,  all  our  soul,  and  all  our  force."   Of  these 
parts  consisteth  man :  for  the  heart  is  the  original  of  all 
affects  and  desires.   When  the  law  requireth  the  love  of  God 
with  all  the  heart,  it  requireth  all  men's    affections  to  be 

His,  A,  this,  B  and  C] 
\^  Be  to  be  loved,  A,  to  be  beloved,  B,  is  to  be  beloved,  C] 
\^  Meenes,  A,  meanes,  B,  man's,  C] 


300  A   DECLARATION  OF  THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS,  [cH. 

sincere  and  pure,  and  wholly  directed  unto  the  love  and  obe- 
dience of  God.  For  he  is  a  jealous  God ;  he  is  not  content 
with  the  fourth  part,  or  the  half,  but  requireth  the  whole 
heart,  mind,  will,  affections,  and  life  of  man.  He  is  not 
content  that  we  love  him  with  one  part,  and  the  world  with 
the  other. 

These  words  forbiddeth  not,  but  that  we  may  love  our 

|xod.  XX.    honest  friends,  parents,  and  other,  as  it  is  written,  Exod.  xx. 

Deut.  V.  16.  Deut.  v.,  so  that  their  love  be  in  God  and  for  God,  not  equal 
nor  above  the  love  of  God.  If  election  happen,  that  in 
the  loving  of  the  one  follow  the  hatred  of  the  other,  thou 
art  bound  to  hate  thy  father,  thy  friends,  and  also  thine 

Aatt.  X.  39.  own  life,  for  the  love  of  God.  Matt.  x.  Last  of  all,  thou 
must  love  him  with  all  thy  force ;  by  the  which  word  is 
understand  all  the  powers,  both  of  body  and  soul,  the  senses 
interior  and  exterior,  whatsoever  they  be,  and  as  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  given  them ;  so  that  neither  the  inward  man, 
neither  the  outward  man,  be  defiled  by  sin,  as  Saint  Paul 

Thess.  V.  saith,  1  Thessal.  v. 

3. 

These  words  must  be  thought  upon,  that  man  apply 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  aright  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  profit  of  his  church,  whereof  we  be  all  members.  One 
hath  the  gift  of  prophecy,  to  judge  of  things  to  come  : 
another,  of  knowledge,  to  open  the  mysteries  hid  in  the 
scripture  :  another,  the  gift  to  comfort  and  give  consola- 
tion to  the  afflicted :  the  other,  the  gift  truly  to  dispense 
and  distribute  the  goods  of  this  world  without  fraud :  the 
other,  the  gift  to  persuade  by  the  word  of  God  people  to 
amendment  of  life  with  the  tongue  :  another,  with  the  pen  : 
one,  the  gift  to  serve  God  in  the  ministry  of  the  church  :  the 
other,  to  serve  God  in  the  ministry  of  the  commonwealth  : 
the  one,  apt  and  strong,  wise  and  prudent  in  affairs  of  war : 
the  other,  to  keep  good  rule  and  govern  in  peace:  the 
one,  apt  to  one  thing,  the  other,  to  another.  Every  man 
therefore  remember  this  commandment,  "  Love  God  with 
all  thy  force,"  and  apply  the  gift  that  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
given  thee,  to  the  glory  and  service  of  God.  It  is  an  horri- 
ble sin  before  God,  the  abuse  of  his  gifts,  whether  they  be 
latt.  XXV.  of  the  body  or  the  soul.  Matt.  xxv. 

Moses  now,   as  thou  seest,  hath  taught  us  to  know 
God,  and  shewed  us  how  to  honour   him  in  faith,  fear. 


IV.] 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


301 


and  love  ;  and  shewed  many  reasons,  why  we  should  give 
him  this  honour  and  obedience ;  so  that  the  first  part  of 
the  first  commandment,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,"  may 
be  understood  of  every  man  that  is  willing  to  know  God 
and  his  own  salvation. 

Before  he  expoundeth  the   second   part  of  the  com- 
mandment, "Thou  shalt  have  no  strange  gods  before  me," 
he  admonisheth  the  people  of  a  very  necessary  doctrine,  a  necessary 
that  is  to  say,  how  they  should  behave  themselves  in  pros-  how"o  be- 
perity  and  wealth,  and  use  the  commodities  of  this  world,  selves  hi 
We  know  by  experience  and  daily  proof,  that  nothing  more  1'™^?^''''^^- 
withdraweth  man  from  the  honour,  love,  and  fear  of  God, 
than  those  two,  felicity  and  adversity ;  as  Christ  teach- 
eth,  our  Saviour,  Matt,  xiii.,  Mark  iv.,  Luke  viii.,  by  the 
similitude  of  him  that  sowed,  and  part  fell  by  the  way-side, 
part  upon  the  stones,  part  among  the  thorns.    By  the  seed  Matt. xiii.  i. 
in  the  stony  ground  Christ  understandeth  such  as  leave  Luke  vii'i.^5. 
his  word  for  the  calamities  and  affliction  of  this  world : 
by  the  seed  among  the  thorns,  such  as  hear  the  word  of 
God,  howbeit  it  bringeth  forth  no  fruit  by  reason  of  the 
cares  of  this  world  and  deceit  of  riches.    Moses  therefore  Moses'  rule 
sheweth,  like  a  good  prince  and  faithful  preacher,  what  is  served^ii 
to  be  done  in  both  these  states  and  conditions  of  life,  in  p™|perity. 
prosperity  and  adversity.     So  that,  if  this '  counsel  be  fol- 
lowed, there  is  neither  prosperity,  neither  adversity,  can  with- 
draw man  from  the  will  and  pleasure  of  God. 

The  first  doctrine,  to  keep  man  from  the  displeasure 
of  God  in  prosperity,  is  written  Deut.  vi.  Erit  cum  intra-  oeut.  vi.  lo. 
duxerit  te  Dominus  Deus  tuus  in  terram  quam  juravit  patribus 
tuis  Abraham,  Isaac,  [et  Jacob],  et  dederit  tihi  civitates  mag- 
nas  atque  honas  quas  non  cedificasti,  domos  qmque  plenas  omni 
hmo  quas  tu  non  implevisti,  et  cisternas  excisas  quas  tu  non 
effodisti,  mneas  et  olivas  quas  non  plantasti;  comederisque,  et 
satiatus  fueris;  cambis  tihi  ne  forte  oblimscaris  Domini  qui 
te  eduxit  de  terra  JEgypti,  de  domA)  sermrum :  that  is  to  say, 
"  When  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  bring  thee  into  the  land 
which  he  promised  to  thy  fathers  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  and  shall  give  thee  great  cities  and  good,  which  thou 
never  buildedst,  houses  furnished  with  all  necessaries,  which 
thou  replenishedst  not,  and  water-pits  that  thou  diggedst 
\}  This  :  Is,  A,  this,  B  and  C] 


302  A    DECLARATION    OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

not,  vines  and  olives  that  thou  plantedst  not,  and  thou  eat 
and  be  satisfied;  beware  thou  forget  not  the  Lord  that 
brought  thee  out  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of  servants." 

Here  seest  thou,  what  danger  and  peril  is  annexed  with 
abundance  and  prosperous  fortune  in  this  world ;  and  how 
common  an  ill  it  is,  in  manner  taking  effect  in  all  men 

sai.xxii.13.  that  possesseth  the  goods  of  the  world,  as  Esay  saith, 
"  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  to-morrow  we  shall  die."  As  Moses 
saith,  Deut.  xxxii.,  "  The  people  replenished  themselves  with 
the  gifts  of  God  and  rebelled,  using  prosperity  and  good 

Deut.  xxxii.  fortune,  forsook  God."  ["  He  that  should  have  been  up- 
right,  when  he  waxed  fat,  spurned  with  his  heel :  thou  art 
gross,  thou  art  fat,  thou  art  laden  with  fatness ;  therefore 
he  forsook  God  that  made  him,  and  regarded  not  the 

jUke  xii.  19. 

strong  God  of  his  salvation."]'  And,  Luke  xii.,  the  rich 
man  said,  "  My  soul,  thou  hast  great  riches,  and  shalt 
use  them  many  years;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be 
merry." 

'wo  pre-  By  these  examples  thou  seest,  that  Moses  prescribed  not 

uie  of"      without  cause  this  regie,  how  to  use  ourselves  in  prosperity. 

loses.  rpj^g  which  rule  containeth  two  precepts;  the  one,  to  use 
moderately  the  gifts  of  God,  and  not  to  abuse  them ;  the 
other,  to  acknowledge  them  to  come  from  God,  and  to 
put  no  trust  in  them.  The  riches  of  the  world  abused 
engendereth  pride  and  forgetfulness  of  God:  therefore 
Moses  admonisheth  chiefly  man  in  his  wealth  to  beware 
he  forget  not  God.  And  in  the  eighth  chapter  he  sheweth 
the  cause,  why  we"  should  not  glory  nor  trust  in  them, 
although  they  be  most  justly  and  right  wisely^  gotten  : 
"  God  giveth  them,"  saith  he,  and  be  not  gotten  with  our 
labours  and  pain. 

I  know  what  men  are  wont  to  say,  when  they  heard* 
any  of  these  new  gospellers,  that  a  rich  man  acknowledged 
not  God  for  God,  and  confess  the  same  unto  other:  so  much 
may  every  man,  that  is  not  out  of  his  wit,  confess.  David 
saith  not,  "  The  fool  saith  with  his  tongue,  there  is  not 

'sal.  xiv.  1.  God  ;"  but  in  his  heart,  Psal.  xii.   Verily,  to  acknowledge 

P  This  sentence  in  brackets  is  found  only  in  C,  where  it  is  substi- 
tuted for  that  which  here  immediately  precedes  it.] 
Why  we,  A,  whych,  B,  whie  wee,  C] 
[2  Wysly,  A  and  B,  easily,  C]  [•»  When  heard.  A.] 


XV.] 


THE   FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


303 


only  God  to  be  God,  only  to  trust  unto  him,  and  not 
unto  the  creatures  of  the  world,  it  is  a  rare  thing  in 
prosperity. 

Few  think,  by  how  small  a  thread  all  the  certainty  of 
riches  hangeth,  and  that  suddenly  they  may  perish.  Then 
should  man  most  suspect  the  fortune  of  this  world,  when 
she  smileth  most,  because  she  is  brittle  and  inconstant,  as 
the  poet  Horace  teacheth  :  when  prosperity  promiseth  secu- 
rity and  rest  in  the  goods  of  this  world,  it  is  a  hard 
thing  and  rare,  verily  to  think  only  God  to  be  the  giver 
thereof,  and  can  suddenly  take  the  things  away  that  hath 
been  gathered  with  great  pains  and  travails.  Therefore  he 
maketh  many  times  of  a  rich  man  a  poor  man ;  of  one 
that  ruled  all,  contemned  of  all ;  of  Croesus,  Irus ;  and  so 
punisheth,  because  men  followeth  not  this  precept  and  com- 
mandment of  Moses :  "  Abuse  not  the  gifts  of  God,  and 
forget  him  not  in  the  time  of  prosperity." 

The  other  impediment,  that  leadeth  us  from  this  re-  Adversity 
ligion  of  God,  fear,  faith,  and  love,  is  adversity ;  whereof  pediment™" 
he  speaketh,  chap.  viii.  Deut.  "  God  led  thee  forty  years  in  from  Gmf.*'' 
the  desert  to  punish  thee  and  to  tempt  thee,  to  know  what  ^"••2- 
was  in  thy  heart,  whether  thou  wouldest  keep  his  com- 
mandment or  not ;   punished  thee,  and  suffered  thee  to 
hunger,  fed  thee  from  heaven,  which  meat  thou  knewest 
not,  neither  thy  fathers  knew  not,  to  declare  unto  thee 
that  man  only  liveth  not  by  bread,  but  by  all  things  that 
proceed  from  the  mouth  of  God  liveth  man."" 

When  man  is  oppressed  with  adversities  and  trouble  what 
in  this  life,  then  cometh  thoughts  as  thick  as  hail,  whether  fouow^ad- 
God  love  him  that  is  punished ;  disputeth  why  and  what 
should  be  the  cause  of  these  troubles  and  adversity ;  then 
he  revolveth,  tosseth,  and  turneth  both  the  nature  of  God 
and  man  in  his  cogitations,  knoweth  God  to  delight  in 
doing  well  unto  man,  and  that  man  of  all  creatures  is  the 
most  excellent.  He  findeth  God  severe,  and  of  all  crea- 
tures man  most  miserable,  and  subject  to  adversities ;  and 
the  more  man  applieth  unto  the  commandments  of  God, 
the  more  miseries  of  this  world  are  heaped  upon  his  head. 
It  is  not  therefore  without  cause  that  Moses  prescribeth 
a  remedy,  lest  man  should  depart  (being  in  the  thrall'' 

P  In  thrall,  B.] 


304)  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  brake  of  adversity)  from  this  religion,  "  fear  God,  be- 
lieve in  God,  and  love  God." 
Moses  Moses  would  keep  man  in  his  obedience  and  office 

sheweth  iii-  -ii 

rt-hy  God    towards  the  law,  m  declaring  the  causes  why  God  pumsheth ; 

lotli  punish   ,  .  ,  -iiiiP 

50  that  he    sheweth  that  it  is  for  no  hatred  that  he  pumsheth,  but  lor 
fs\  remedy  lovo ;  and  that  he  findeth  always  in  man  just  matter  worthy 
:emptation.  punishment.  As  Paul  saith,  Rom.  v.,  that  "  death  by  reason 
lobxiv".  '  of  sin  entered  into  the  world;"  so  that  the  integrity  and 
Jsai.  cvii.'   perfectness  of  man's  nature  by  sin  is  lost,  and  made  like 
unto  the  nature  of  the  brute  beasts,  fruits,  and  herbs  of 
the  field,   Job  xiv.  and  Esay,  cap.  xxii.  xl.  Ecclus.  xiv. 
Psal.  cvii. ;  therefore  God,  for  sin  being  angry,  punisheth 
the  miserable  nature  of  man,  being  spoiled  of  his  original 
and  first  perfection,  with  many  calamities.    As  David  saith, 
Ps.  xc.  7.    Psalm  Ixxxix.,  Defecimm  in  ira  tua :  that  is  as  much  to 
say,  "  Thou  being  angry  for  sin,  we  are  subject  unto  death." 
Read  the  whole  psalm,  if  thou  canst.    It  is  Moses'  prayer, 
wherein  is  declared  how  brief  and  miserable  the  life  of  man 
is  for  sin. 

vaturai  Unto    this  natural  corruption  is  annexed  our  wilful 

md  wilful   malice  and  contempt  of  God,  as  we  see  in  Cain  and  Esau ; 

nalicejoin-  ... 

;dinman.  likewise  m  this  people  of  Israel,  which  were  diligently  in- 
structed and  godly  brought  up  by  Adam,  Isaac,  and  Moses ; 
yea,  in  ourselves,  that  daily  read  and  hear  the  word  of  God, 
yet  nothing  the  better.  Therefore  Moses  saith,  that  "  God 
led  them  in  the  wilderness  to  punish  their  sin,"  which  is 
the  principal  cause  of  all  calamities.  Then  punisheth  he, 
to  prove  such  as  be  his,  whether  they  will  persevere  with 
his  commandment  or  not.  Thus  tempted  he  Abraham,  and 
Jacob  for  the  space  of  all  his  life ;  and  layeth  more  adver- 
sities many  times  upon  such  as  be  of  his  true  church,  than 
upon  other. 

As  these  examples  declare :  Manasses  the  tyrant  cut 
Esay  the  prophet  asunder  with  a  saw :  Apries  killed 
Hieremy ;  the  bishops,  Zachary ;  Herod,  J ohn  Baptist, 
with  other.  When  such  adversities  happen,  let  no  man 
depart  from  the  true  word  of  God,  but  say  with  Micheas 
Mic. vii. 9.  the  prophet,  chap,  vii.,  "I  will  sustain  the  punishment  of 
isai.  ixiv.  5.  God,  for  I  havo  offended  him ;"  with  Esa.  Ixiv.  chap., 
"  Behold,  we  have  offended  and  long  continued  in  sin, 
wherefore  thou  art  angry."     God,  when  he  punisheth. 


,v.] 


THE    FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


305 


worketh  two  good  deeds  at  one  time ;  correcteth  the  sin,  Two  good 
and  calleth  the  sinner  to  penance,  as  we  have  examples  in  punish- 
David,  Osias,  and  Manasse.  And  Saint  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xi.,  icor!'xi.  32. 
"  We  are  punished  of  the  Lord,  lest  we  should  be  damned 
with  the  world."    If  thou  be  a  good  man,  and  yet  punished, 
rejoice :  for  the  punishment  is  a  testimony  of  the  doctrine 
and  religion  that  thou  professest ;  and  hast  many  fellows, 
the  patriarchs,  prophets,  Christ,  and  the  apostles,  which  Matt.  xvi. 
would  rather  suffer  death  than  deny  the  profession  of  the  2  iim.  m. 
gospel.  Matt.  xvi.  2  Tim.  iii.  Psalm  cxv.  Psai.cxvi. 

There  be  many  other  causes  why  God  punisheth,  and  Another 
why  the  punishments  should  be  patiently  taken ;  it  were  a  God  pmiish- 
book- matter  to  rehearse  them.  I  will  only  speak  of  one  * 
cause  more,  that  Moses  writeth  in  the  same  eighth  chap- Deut.  viii.s. 
ter,  and  pass  over  the  rest.  God  "made  them  hungry,  and 
fed  them  with  meat  from  heaven,  that  they  should  know 
man  lived  not  only  by  bread,  but  of  all  things  that  pro- 
ceed from  the  mouth  of  God."  Some  men  understand  that 
Moses  meaneth,  that  the  body  liveth  with  bread  corporal, 
and  the  soul  with  the  word  of  God ;  seeing  that  man  con- 
sisteth  of  those  two  parts,  the  body  and  the  soul.  It  is 
true,  and  a  good  interpretation :  howbeit,  if  these  words 
be  referred  only  to  the  body  in  this  place  of  Moses,  it 
shall  be  consonant  with  the  circumstance  of  the  text,  and 
declare  his  purpose  the  better.  Though  man  put  meat  into 
his  body,  that  of  his  own  nature  men  judge  to  nourish,  yet 
except  the  favour  and  grace  of  God  digest  and  dispose  it 
into  every  member  of  the  body,  it  nourisheth  not ;  as 
we  see  in  many  men  that  eateth  much  and  many  times  in 
the  day,  yet  is  nothing  the  stronger.  The  physicians  call 
this  disease  apepsian,  cruditatem,  when  there  is  no  diges- 
tion at  all ;  sometime  dyspepsian,  depramtam  concoctionem, 
when  the  meat  is  turned  into  a  contrary  quality;  some- 
time ira^dy-pepsian,  tardam  concoctionem,  when  the  stomach 
digesteth  with  difficulty  and  long  protract  of  time. 

This  I  speak  only  to  this  purpose,  that  neither  meat, 
neither  medicine,  neither  physician  availeth,  except  God  say, 
Amen.    If  thou  wilt  take  profit  of  the  thing  thou  eatest, 
follow  the  physic  of  Paul,  1  Tim.  iv.,  speaking  of  the  meat:  iTim.iv.5. 
Sanctificatur  per  sermonem  Dei  ac  precationem.    "  It  is  sanc- 

\}  Bra :  aura,  C.l 

r  1  20 

[hooper.J 


306 


A   DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


tified  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer."  It  is  not  only  law- 
ful for  thee  to  eat  it,  but  also  God  will  give  thee  nourish- 
ment.   That  the  meat  and  drink  feedeth  not  the  body 

Levit.  xxvi.  without  the  favour  and  blessing  of  God,  it  is  declared,  Levit. 

Hos.  iy.  10.  xxvi.,  Ose.  iv.,  Miche.  vi.    "  Ye  shall  eat,  and  yet  not  be 

Mlc.  VI.  14.  '  '  1  J 

satisfied."  Thus  doth  Christ's  answer  unto  the  devil  prove, 
Matt.  iv.  4.  Matt,  iv.,  when  he  hungered  in  the  body,  and  not  in  the 
soul ;  therefore  his  answer  must  be  referred  only  to  the  body, 
God's  punishment  therefore  taught  the  Israelites  this  doc- 
trine, that  God  giveth  not  only  meat,  but  also  virtue  there- 
unto to  nourish  him  that  eateth.  Seeing  now  that  the 
Israelites  by  adversity  were  brought  unto  the  knowledge 
of  their  sin,  and  instructed  with  this  further  doctrine,  that 
God  giveth  as  well  virtue  unto  the  meat  to  nourish  him 
that  eateth,  as  the  meat  itself ;  there  is  no  occasion  that 
they  should  therefore  leave  God,  but  rather  accept  the 
punishment  with  thanks,  as  a  good  schoolmaster  sent  to  teach 
them  their  health  and  the  will  of  God.  As  David  saith, 
Ps.  cxix.  71.  Psal.  cxviii. :  Utile  mihi  est  quod  in  miseriam  dejectus  sum,  ut 
discerem  decreta  tua;  that  is  to  say,  "It  availeth  me  greatly 
that  I  am  punished,  to  learn  thy  commandments." 

The  first  part  of  the  first  commandment  containeth,  as 
thou  seest  by  the  interpretation  of  Moses,  the  fountain  and 
original  of  all  true  religion ;  and  is  as  the  foundation  and  root, 
from  whence  springeth  all  the  other  commandments ;  and 
is  comprehended  in  these  four  words ;  knowledge  of  God : 
fear  of  God :  faith  in  God :  and  love  of  God. 

Further,  in  the  interpretation  of  the  same  he  hath 
taught  his  people  and  us,  how  to  use  ourselves  in  pros- 
pei'ity  and  adversity.  For  each  of  them  draweth  man  from 
the  four  afore  rehearsed  virtues,  except  the  mind  of  man 
be  fully  persuaded  by  the  word  of  God,  how  a  means  and 
godly  moderation  may  be  kept,  when  man  hath  abundance ; 
and  how,  to  whom,  and  when  use  liberality  and  dispensa- 
tion of  his  goods  :  likewise,  how  man  should  with  patience 
sustain  the  hand  of  God  in  adversity  for  the  time  of 
this  present  life,  which  Job  describeth,  chap.  xiv.  to  be 
Job  xiv.  10.  nothing  but  a  vanity  by  these  words :  "  Man  born  of  a 
woman  liveth  but  a  few  days,  and  is  replenished  with  all' 
affliction ;  springeth  and  withereth  all  away  as  a  flower ; 
P  All,  omited  in  A.] 


IV.] 


THE    FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


307 


fleeth  as  shadow,  and  cannot  long  endure."  So  saith  Esay 
xxii.  xl.  If  thou  read  the  book  that  wise  Salomon  wrote, 
Be  contemptu  mundi,  that  is^  to  say,  of  the  contempt  or 
vanity  of  the  world,  called  Ecclesiastes,  thou  shalt  not  only 
learn  what  the  world  and  man  is,  but  also  take  adversi- 
ties in  the  better  part,  if  thou  follow  his  counsel.  The 
book  containeth  but  twelve  chapters ;  read  and  mark  every 
month  one,  then  at  the  year's  end  thou  shalt  read  it  over. 
If  thou  put  the  riches  thereof  into  thy  head,  think  thou 
hast  gained  well  that  year,  though  by  the  punishment  of 
God  thou  hast  lost  otherways  all  thy  goods  in  the  world, 
unto  thy  shirt. 

Now  foUoweth  ^  the  second  part  of  the  first  command- 
ment : 

Thou  shalt  ham  no  strange  gods  before  my  face. 

This  part  of  the  commandment  removeth  all  false  re- 
ligion and  superstition,  wherewithal  the  glory  and  majesty 
of  God  might  happen  to  be  diminished  or  darkened  in  the 
soul  of  man  :  which  chanceth*  as  many  times  as  man  at- 
tributeth  unto  any  creature  the  thing  that  is  due  only  unto 
God;  or  when  we  would  honour  God,  or  do  any  thing 
acceptable  unto  him,  as  we  feign  of  our  own  brains,  and 
not  as  his  word  teacheth.  This  honour  we  owe  only  unto 
God,  faith,  love,  fear,  and  prayer.  Now  to  attribute  any  idolatry, 
of  these  to  any  creature  is  idolatry,  and  to  have  false  gods 
before  his  face.  Only  God  should  be  our  hope,  faith,  love, 
and  fear  :  him  only  should  we  pray  unto.  Esay  viii.  Psal.  Jf ^!"- 1*- 
xviii.  xxviii.  &xxv.  1,2. 

To  pray  or  trust  in  any  dead  saint  departed  out  of 
this  world  is  idolatry  against^  this  commandment :  and 
those  that  do  it  hath  neither  commandment  nor  example  in 
the  scripture  to  approve  their  doings.  Such  as  fear  the 
menaces  and  threatenings  of  the  devil  or  of  devilish  people, 
that  mindeth  the  subversion  of  God's  holy  word,  and  per- 
secution of  such  as  follow  it,  and  believeth  not  that  God 
hath  power  to  keep  them  under,  and  will  do  so  for  his 

P  That  is,  omitted  in  A.^ 
P  FoUoweth,  A  and  C,  follow,  B.] 
\^  Chanceth,  A  and  C,  changeth,  B.] 
P  And  against,  k7\ 

20—2 


308  A  DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANMIENTS.  [cH. 

word's  sake,  hath  false  gods  before  his  face ;  for  only  he 
Matt.  iv.  10.  is  to  be  feared.    Matt.  iv.  x.,  Esa.  li. 

&x.  31.  ' 

isai.  li.  7.  Such  as  be  given  to  astronomy,  or  other,  that  super- 
stitiously  observe  the  course  and  revolution  of  the  heavens, 
[and]'  think  they  can  do  good  or  harm,  give  good  for- 
tune or  ill,  as  those  think  and  judge  that  elevate  the 
figure  of  heaven  to  judge  what  shall  follow  them,  when 
they  perceive  by  their  nativities  under  what  sign  they  were 
bom,  oifend  against  this  commandment.  The  which  abo- 
mination hath  not  only  been  used  before  our  time  of  su- 
perstitious persons,  but  also  now-a-days  of  them  that  hath 
a  right  knowledge  of  God. 

Such  as  give  over-much  faith  unto  medicines,  or  the 

2Chron.  nature  of  stones  and  herbs,  as  ye  see,  2  Paralip.  xvi.,  com- 
mit  idolatry. 

Such  as  give  faith  unto  the  conjuration  or  sorcery  of 
superstitious  persons ;  as  to  priests,  that  bless  water,  wax, 
bone,  bread,  ashes,  candles;  or  other  to  witches  or  sooth- 
sayers, where  they  abuse  the  name  of  God  to  singe  out 
the  fire  of  him  that  hath  burned  his  hand,  to  stanch  blood, 
to  heal  man  or  beast;  or  to  such  as  destinieth  what  shall 
happen  unto  man,  and  what  plenty  shall  follow  of  grain 
and  fruit  in  the  earth,  health,  or  sickness  in  the  air,  com- 

Lev.  XX.27.  mitteth  idolatry.    Levit.  xx.,  Deut.  xviii. 

10,11.  '  I  speak  not  against  the  knowledge  that  man  seeketh 
for,  whether  it  be  in  the  heavens  or  in  the  earth,  so  that 
they  extend  their  study  to  this  end,  to  glorify  God  in  his 
works,  and  not  to  make  the  works  God.    Well  we  be 

jer.  X.  2.  assured  by  the  scripture.  Hie.  x.  and  also  by  those  that  knew 
not  the  scripture,  that  no  constellation  of  heaven,  mis- 
temperature  of  the  air,  water,  or  earth,  can  hurt  him  that 
feareth  God;  as  the  testimonies  of  the  scripture  declare. 
Only  the  disobedience  of  man  towards  God  maketh  man  sub- 
ject unto  these  diseases  and  sicknesses  that  man  is  troubled 
withal.  Exod.  v.  ix.  Lev.  xxvi.  Numb.  xiv.  Deut.  xxviii. 
2  Reg.  xxiv.  3  Reg.  viii.  1  Par.  xxi.  2  Par.  vi.  Ezek.  vi. 
vii.  xiv.  xxviii.  xxxiii.  xxxviii.  Read  the  91st  psalm,  that 
beginneth,  "  Whoso  resteth  in  the  secrets  of  the  Highest, 
lodgeth  in^  the  harbour  of  the  Omnipotent.  In  Latin  it 
beginneth  after  the  old  translation :  Qui  habitat  in  adjutorio 
P  And,  supplied  from  C]         P  In,  supplied  from  A.] 


IV.] 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


309 


Altissimi,  in  protecfione  Dei  coeli  commorahitur.  In  the  which 
psalm  is  shewed,  how  sure  and  free  from  all  ill  and  diseases 
he  is,  that  putteth  his  trust  in  God ;  and  that  heaven, 
neither  earth,  or  any  thing  that  is  in  them,  shall  molest 
him.    Read  and  see. 

Cicero in  the  first  book  of  Divination,  mocketh  these  Lib.i.Divin. 
blind  conjectures  and  foredestinies :  Qucerit  unde  Jupiter 
cornicem  a  Iceva,  et  cormm  a  dextra  canere  juhet^  asketh  in 
derision  of  those  soothsayers,  how  happeneth  it  that  Jupiter 
commandeth  the  crow  to  sing  at  the  left  hand,  and  the 
raven  at  the  right  hand. 

Esa.  cap.  xxx.  and  xxxi.  sheweth  another  kind  of  ido-  isai.  xxx.  2. 

&  xxxi.  1 

latry,  which  was  used  and  punished  in  our  fathers  ;  and  like- 
wise daily  we  see  the  same  with  our  eyes ;  confidence  and 
trust  in  the  power  of  the  flesh,  when  such  as  be  in  league 
and  confederacy  together  too  much  trust  in  their  own 
strength  and  power.  Read  those  two  chapters,  how  the 
Israelites  entered  league  with  the  Egyptians,  and  what  was 
their  end ;  and  confer  the  same  unto  our  time :  what  cities, 
what  princes,  and  what  strength,  after  the  judgment  of 
the  world,  was  unite  together;  but  because  God  was  out 
of  the  league,  see  the  end,  how  it  availed  nothing.  To 
the  same  confusion  shall  at  length  come  all  kings  and  king- 
doms, that  trust  more  in  their  riches,  munitions,  and  con- 
federacy with  men,  than  in  God. 

There  is  forbidden  in  this  part  of  the  commandment, 
that  no  man  should  give  thanks  for  any  thing  received 
in  this  world  to  any  other  saving  to  God.  Therefore  Osee 
the  prophet  calleth  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews  a  whore, 
because  she  attributed  the  gifts  she  received  of  God  unto 
her  false  gods.  The  same  teacheth  Esa.  Ivii.  This  ido-  isai.  ivH.  9. 
latry  is  at  large  written,  Hiere.  ii.  Read  the  chapter,  Jer. «. 
and  confer  it  with  our  time,  that  parteth  the  thanks  and 
praises,  that  only  should  be  given  unto  God,  with  the  saints 
departed  out  of  this  world.  Every  man,  as  his  supersti- 
tion leadeth  him,  he  commendeth  his  riches  to  God  and 
Saint  Eras.* ;  his  ox  to  God  and  Saint  Luke  ;  his  horse 

P  Quod  faciebat  etiam  Panaetius,  requirens,  Jupiterne  cornicem 
Iseva,  corvum  a  dextra  canere  jussisset.    De  div.  Lib.  i.  7.] 

\}  Probably  Saint  Erasmus,  bishop  and  martyr,  who  suffered  in  the 
reigns  of  Diocletian  and  Maximianus.    See  his  Life,  per  Adonem  Episc. 


310  A   DECLARATION    OF    THE    TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

to  God  and  Saint  Loye^  ;    for  every  disease  he  hath  a 
diverse  patron,  and  honoureth  him  v?ith  the  prayer  that 
only  should  be  said  unto  God  Almighty  in  the  name  of 
Christ.   John  xv.  xvi. 
Whereby  This  idolatry  hath  in  manner  infected  all  the  Latin 

idolatry  IS  •'  .  .  .,, 

to  be  ex-     church.      The  nature  of  this  secret  and  pernicious  ill 

amined.  i     i     i  i 

must  be  by  the  word  of  God  well  marked,  lest  under 
the  cloak  and  shadow  of  true  religion  it  deceive  men  of 
the  truth.  For  this  idolatry  saith  and  beareth  men  in 
hand,  that  she  doth  not  so  desire  help  of  saints,  or  thank 
them  for  the  benefits  received,  as  though  she  neglected  or 
offended  the  high  and  only  God ;  but  granteth  and  con- 
fesseth  God  to  be  the  chief  giver  of  all  things ;  howbeit 
not  only  for  his  mercies'  sake  and  the  merits  of  Christ  his 
Son  our  Saviour,  but  also  at  the  intercession  and  prayers 
of  the  dead  saints.  Thus  craftily  and  under  a  pretence  of 
true  religion  doth  she  sunder  and  divide  the  glory  and  the 
honour  due  only  unto  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  with  the  saints  in  heaven,  that  knoweth  nothing  of 
isai.ixiii.i6.  our  Condition  and  state  in  this  world.    Esay  Ixiii. 

By  this  means  our  elders,  both  the  Jews  and  the  gen- 
tiles, mingled  the  rabble  and  multitude  of  gods  with  the 
only  God  and  Maker  of  all  thing  :  not  that  they  thought 
the  idols  or  images  to  be  God ;  but  thought  that  way  God 
would  be  honoured.    The  which  is  very  idolatry :  for  the 

Treverensem,  in  Aloysii  Sanctorum  Historia.  Lovanii.  1565.  Tom.  ii. 
p.  141.  It  is  mentioned  in  Petr.  de  Natalibus,  Lib.  v.  cap.  75,  that  when 
Saint  Erasmus  was  imprisoned  by  Maximianus,  the  archangel  Michael 
set  him  free,  "eidem  ducatum  prcehens,"  which  may  perhaps  account  for 
the  name  of  this  saint  being  invoked  in  prayers  for  riches.  Becon  in  his 
Reliques  of  Rome,  Vol.  iii.  folio  edit.  861,  p.  2,  mentions  "  five  special 
gifts  and  singular  benefits  granted  to  the  fraternity  of  St  Erasmus.  The 
first  of  these  is,  that  he  shall  have  reasonable  goods  to  his  life's  end." 
After  reciting  four  other  benefits,  it  is  added  : — "  All  these  *  *  *  * 
benefits  shall  all  they  have,  that  give  any  part  or  portion  of  their  goods  to 
the  upholding  and  maintaining  of  the  holy  place  of  Saint  Erasmus."] 

{}  Saint  Loye  or  Eloi,  was  Treasurer  to  Dagobert  and  Bishop  of 
Noyon.  He  excelled  in  some  of  the  mechanical  arts,  particularly  in 
working  in  gold.  He  was  also  eminent  for  zeal  and  liberality  in  the 
discharge  of  his  episcopal  office.  His  having  made  for  Dagobert  a  saddle 
of  peculiar  excellence  may  have  led  to  his  being  regarded  as  the  tutelar 
saint  of  equestrians.  See  his  life  by  Saint  Ouen,  Paris,  1693.  He  died, 
658.] 


IV] 


THE    FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


311 


law  saith,  "  Thou  ishalt  not  do  the  thing  that  seemeth  good 
in  thy  eye,  but  the  thing  I  have  commanded  thee  to  do." 
Therefore,  to  avoid  all  false  religion  and  superstition  of  the 
mind  and  inward  man,  God  saith,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no 
strange  gods  before  me."  The  conscience  therefore  must 
be  pure  and  nett  from  all  privity  and  secret  thoughts  of 
idolatry,  apostasy,  or  defection,  if  we  would  God  should 
approve  our  religion  to  be  true.  Every  thing  that  we  do 
for  the  honour  of  God,  not  commanded  by  his  word,  is 
as  strange,  and  not  accepted  of  God :  as  all  good  intentions, 
feigned  works  by  man,  and  all  things  commanded  by  general 
councils,  not  expressed  in  the  word  of  God,  by  the  patri- 
archs, prophets,  Christ,  and  the  apostles,  which  be  and  ever 
were  before  God  the  holy  and  catholic  church,  and  sheweth 
us  whosoever  add  any  thing  to  their  laws  are  the  church 
of  antichrist,     Deut.  iv.  and  xii.,  Apoc.  xxii.    So  called  oeut-  iv.  2. 

^  .  xu.  32. 

God  the  fire  of  Aaron's  sons,  Nadab  and  Abihu,  a  strange  Rev. xxii. is, 
fire,  to  say,  such  as  he  commanded  not.    God  will  have 
none  other  works  of  man,  than  he  requireth  in  his  express 
word. 

He  condemneth  by  this  law  the  wicked  sacrifice  and 
idolatry  committed  in  the  private  masses,  where  as  people 
doth  not  only  take  from  God  and  Christ  their  due  honour, 
but  also  make  another  god  of  bread,  which  is  no  more 
the  living  God  than  the  golden  calf  of  the  Israelites ;  as 
not  only  the  scripture,  but  also  the  reason  of  man  and  the 
senses  of  all  brute  beasts  of  the  field,  ox  and  sheep,  with 
all  other  the  birds  of  the  air  and  fishes  of  the  water,  doth 
bear  record. 

This  unspeakable  and  most  abominable  ill  is  taken  for 
the  principal  article  and  chief  pillar  of  the  true  and  apos- 
tolical church,  of  such  as  believe  not  the  apostles'  writings. 
But  how  can  it  be  the  apostolical  church,  when  it  repugneth 
and  is  clean  contrary  to  the  apostles'  writings ;  Matt.  xxvi. 
Mark  xiv.  Luke  xxii.  1  Cor.  x.  xi. ;  likewise  contrary  to 
the  testament,  will,  and  institution  of  Christ  Jesu,  our  only 
Saviour,  the  author  and  first  giver  of  this  blessed  sacrament 
of  his  most  honourable  and  precious  blood  in  his  church? 
If  it  be  not  lawful  to  change  man's  testament,  nor  to  add 
or  take  any  thing  from  it,  but  to  execute  and  do  every 
thing  as  it  is  there  expressed,  and  none  otherwise ;  much 


312  A  DEXJLABATION   OF   THE  TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

more  no  man  should  take  upon  him  to  change  the  testament 
of  Christ. 

Oh  that  people,  for  whom  Christ  hath  shed  his  most 
innocent  blood,  would  understand  and  perceive  this  sensible 
and  manifest  abomination,  why  they  believe  these  seductors 
and  deceivers  of  christian  souls,  that  hath  not  as  much  as 
one  iota  or  prick  of  the  scripture  to  help  themselves  withal ! 
Read,  read,  I  beseech  thee,  christian  reader,  Matthew  xxvi. 
Mark  xiv.  Luke  xxii.,  and  see  how  far  their  abominable  mass 
is  from  the  word  of  God :  and  think,  who  was  the  priest 
that  ministered  this  sacrament,  and  what  people  received  it. 
Then  shalt  thou  find  the  Son  of  God,  the  Wisdom  of  the 
Father,  the  Light  of  the  world,  the  Lamb  that  died  for 
thy  salvation,  to  be  minister  of  this  holy  sacrament,  and 
the  church  or  people  that  received  it  to  be  the  elect  and 
chosen  apostles,  Christ's  friends,  that  taught  the  gospel  in 
all  the  world,  and  died  for  the  same,  as  testimonies  of 
the  truth.  Acts  ii.  Then  doubt  not  but  thou  wilt  soon  per- 
ceive this  idolatry ;  except  (which  God  forbid !)  thou  doubt, 
whether  Christ  and  the  apostles  be  the  true,  old,  and  ca- 
tholic church,  or  not. 

They  that  defend  this  idolatry  deceive  thee  with  lies 
and  false  feigned  laws  out  of  their  own  heads,  and  not 
taken  out  of  the  scripture.  Believe  Christ  and  his  word, 
which  sheweth  the  truth  only ;  and  then  thou  canst  not 
err  no  more  than  Christ  himself  erreth,  neither  be  damned  ; 
except  Christ,  all  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles 
be  damned  with  thee.  These  make  thee  believe  that  holy 
sacrament,  used  as  a  communion  under  both  kinds,  is  a 
new  and  late  invented  doctrine  by  man.  Thou  shalt  find 
the  contrary  in  the  word  of  God,  Matt.  xxvi.  Mark  xiv. 
Luke  xxii.,  that  it  is  a  thousand  five  hundred  and  odd  years 
old,  and  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  so  used  it.  Let  those 
be  thy  fathers,  and  follow  thou  their  faith,  and  let  the 
rest  go.  Such  as  teach  contrary  doctrine  be  likewise  the 
followers  of  the  apostles  and  disciples,  but  not  of  Peter  nor 
Stephen,  but  of  Judas,  as  Saint  Bernard  saith  of  the  pope, 
who  hath  been  the  chief  doer  in  the  defacing  of  God's  holy 
word  and  in  planting  of  this  idolatry. 

Such  as  trust  in  adversity  to  be  holpen  by  any  saint, 
and  not  only  by  God  in  Christ,  make  them  strange  gods. 


IV.] 


THE   FIBST  COMMANDMENT. 


313 


as  they  do  that  call  upon  the  saint  departed  in  the  time 
of  war;  as  in  time  past  the  Englishman  upon  Saint 
George',  the   Frenchman  upon   Saint  Denys^,  the  Scot 

\j  The  accounts  of  Saint  George,  the  patron  saint  of  England,  are 
very  contradictory.  By  some  he  has  been  confounded  with  the  Arian 
Bishop  of  Alexandria  (see  Gibbon),  by  others,  (Heylin,  and  Pettingale, 
&c.)  he  has  been  regarded  as  merely  a  symbolical  device,  perhaps 
derived  from  Grecian  mythology  or  Egyptian  hieroglyphics.  One 
writer  has  attempted  to  prove  that  George  is  a  corruption  of  Gregory. 
In  Aloysii  Lipomani  Veron.  Sanctorum  Historia  are  copious  details  of 
the  life  and  martyrdom  "  Sancti  Georgii  Magni."  In  these  it  is  recorded 
that  "  patria  ipsius  fuit  Cappadocum  regio,  altrix  vero  Palestina,  Chris- 
tianus  inde  usque  a  proavis,  setate  juvenis,  sapientia  canus,  corde  rectus, 
et  utraque  re  adversus  impietatem  exultans:  qui  in  armorum  certami- 
nibus  bene  ab  ipsa  pueritia  excelluerat,  ac  fortitudinem  bellis  gerendis 
convenientem  ita  exercuerat,  ut  militaris  ordinis  Tribunatus  ejus  fidei 
commissus  fuerit.  (p.  131.)  Comes  a  Diocletiano  constitutus  est  antequam 
Christianus  esse  cognosceretur,  (p.  117.)  Having  avowed  himself  a 
Christian  and  denounced  the  worship  of  the  gods  in  the  presence  of  the 
Emperor,  it  is  related — Tunc  in  eum  intuens  Diocletianus  Imperator, 
velut  scevus  aliquis  Draco,  &c.,  after  which  follows  an  account  of  his 
martyrdom  by  the  emperor's  command,  and  of  the  miraculous  manner 
in  which,  in  the  first  instance,  all  efforts  to  destroy  his  life  failed,  until 
he  had  converted  many  around  him  to  Christianity.  Perhaps  this  may 
have  been  the  origin  of  the  emblematic  device  of  St  George  encountering 
the  Dragon,  which  has  been  considered  as  typifying  the  christian  soldier 
conflicting  with  his  spiritual  foes.  Some  have  imagined  that  this  device 
was  borrowed  from  the  conflict  between  Michael  and  the  great  beast 
in  the  Apocalypse.  It  is  found  in  Russia  among  the  pictures  used  in  the 
Greek  church.  The  adoption  of  St  George  as  the  tutelary  saint  of 
England  appears  to  be  connected  with  the  Crusades,  as  may  be  gathered 
from  the  legends  concerning  Robert  of  Normandy  and  Richard  the  First. 
Edward  the  Third  identified  him  with  England  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Order  of  the  Garter,  and  by  invoking  his  aid  as  a  saint  in  the  preceding 
year  (a.  d.  1349),  at  the  siege  of  Calais,  at  which  time  and  subsequently 
his  name  was  used  by  the  English  as  a  war  cry.  Some  trace  this  as  adopted 
from  William,  Duke  of  Aquitaine,  grandfather  to  Henry  the  Second's 
Queen,  who  resigned  his  sovereignty  and  became  a  hermit  in  1137.  He 
had  been  celebrated  as  a  warrior,  and  his  war  cry  was  "  Saint  George." 
The  angels  coined  in  the  reign  of  Edward  IV.  have  the  device  of  St  George 
and  the  Dragon.  See  Sti  Georgii  Magni  vita  et  martyrium  per  Sime- 
onem  Metaphrastem ;  also  Martyrium,  a  Pasicrate  ejus  servo  scriptum, 
and  Encomium  per  eundem  Sim.  Metaph.  in  Aloysii  Sanct.  Hist.  Lovanii. 
1656.  Tom.  ii.  pp.  117. 124. 130.] 

P  Saint  Denis,  (Dionysius,)  the  patron  saint  of  France,  was  the  first 
bishop  of  Paris.    He  is  said  to  have  suffered  martyrdom  during  the 


314  A   DECLARATION    OF   THE   TEN  COMA] ANDMENTS.  [cH. 

upon  Saint  Andrew^  ;  which  is  nothing  else  but  a  very 
gentihty,  and  ethnick  custom ;  as  though  their  private 
gods  and  singular  patrons  could  give  the  victory  and  upper 
hand  in  the  field,  or  Saint  George  favour  him  that  Saint 
Andrew  hateth.  What  thing  is  this  else  but  to  set  two 
souls  at  bate,  as  the  gentiles  did  their  gods  Juno  and 
Minerva  with  Venus  ?  Virg.  ^neid  I.  and  II.  Ovid.  Met. 
XII.  Hector  adest  secumque  deos  in  proelia  ducit;  that  is 
to  say,  "  Hector  is  come  and  hath  brought  his  gods  with 
him  to  the  field."  What  is  there  between  the  Greeks  that 
trusted  in  Juno  and  Neptunus,  and  the  Englishman  that 
trusteth  in  Saint  George;  or  between  the  Trojans  that 
trusted  in  Venus  and  her  friends,  and  the  Scots,  that  trust 
in  Saint  Andrew,  if  they  hope  by  their  help  their  wars  shall 
prosper  ? 

But,  praised  be  the  mercy  of  God !  I  hear  say,  and 
believe  it,  that  Englishmen  hath  resigned  Saint  George's 
usurped  title  to  the  living  God,  the  God  of  battle.  No 
good  man  will  take  me  as  though  I  meant  Juno,  Pallas, 
or  Venus,  were  as  good  as  Andrew  or  the  saints  that  be 
in  glory  for  ever  with  God.  But  I  say  that  these  super- 
stitious persons,  that  maketh  their  patrons  or  singular 
helpers,  of  the  saints,  differ  nothing  in  this  point  from 
the  heathen  or  gentile  :  for  as  the  one  honoureth  he 
knoweth  not  what,  so  doth  the  other ;  both  following  their 
own  imagination  and  superstition  without  testimony  and 
commandment  of  the  scripture.  Read  the  commentaries 
of  Thom.  Valois  and  Nicol.  Triveth,  in  the  fourth  book  of 
Saint  Augustine  De  Cwitate  Dei,  cap.  xxx.  and  they  will 

persecution  under  Valerian  in  272.  His  remains  are  preserved  as  well  as 
those  of  his  companions  in  martyrdom  (Rusticus  and  Eleutherius)  in 
three  silver  shrines.  The  legend  is  that  they  suffered  death  upon  Mont- 
martre  (Mons  Martyrum)  so  called  from  that  circumstance.] 

P  Saint  Andrew,  who  was  adopted  as  the  tutelary  saint  of  Scotland, 
is  said,  in  the  Romish  legends,  to  have  visited  the  northern  regions ;  and 
some  assert  that  his  relics  were  removed  to  Fifeshire  by  a  Grecian  monk, 
A.  D.  368,  and  gave  the  name  to  St  Andrew's  in  that  county.  Others 
attribute  the  adoption  of  this  saint  by  the  Scotch  to  Hungus,  one  of  their 
princes,  having  had  a  dream,  in  which  he  saw  Saint  Andrew  as  about  to 
assist  him  in  an  approaching  conflict.  In  accordance  with  this  dream  it 
is  related  that  a  St  Andrew's  cross  appeared  in  the  heavens,  and  secured 
the  victory  on  tlie  side  of  Hungus.J 


IV.J 


THE    FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


315 


tell  thee,  if  thou  believe  not  the  scripture,  what  super- 
stition is ;  where  as  be  these  words :  Superstitio  autem  Lib.iv.c.so. 
vacatur  omnis  mltus  superfluvius,  quocunque  modo  superfluus; 
sive  ex  superfluitate  eorum  quce  coluntur,  sive  eorum  quae  in 
cultum  assumuntur,  sive  ex  modo  assumendi.  Hoc  enim 
istud  intelligitur  nomine  superstitionis,  undecumque  nomen 
originem  habuerit :  that  is  to  say,  "  Superstition  is  a  su- 
perfluous religion,  what  ways  soever  it  be  superfluous ; 
whether  it  be  of  the  superfluity  of  the  things  honoured, 
or  of  the  things  used  for  religion,  or  of  the  manner  in 
religion.  This  doubtless  is  understood  by  the  name  of 
superstition,  from  whence  soever  the  name  hath  his  be- 
ginning: whatsoever  thou  do  to  please  the  Almighty,  if 
it  be  not  commanded  in  his  word,  it  is  superfluous  su- 
perstition." 

Remember  therefore  this  part  of  the  commandment, 
"  Thou  shalt  have  no  strange  gods  before  my  face  and 
honour  God,  save  thy  soul,  avoid  idolatry,  as  his  only 
word  teacheth,  and  beware  of  man's  laws. 


316  A   DECLARATION   OF    THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


CAPUT  V. 

THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shalt  make  thee  no  image,  or  any  similitude  of  things 
in  heaven  above,  in  earth  beneath,  or  in  the  water  under 
the  earth.  Thou  shalt  not  worship  nor  honour  them  : 
for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  a  jealous  God,  punishing 
the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  in  the  children  that  hate 
me,  in  the  third  and  fourth  generation. 

he  sum  of       In  the  first  commandment  we  learned  that  God  is  the 

iG  first 

jmmand-  only  and  sole  God,  and  that  we  should  not  think  nor 
feign  any  other  besides  him.  Further,  that  command- 
ment expresseth,  what  this  our  one  God  is,  and  how 
alFectionated  or  minded  towards  us,  full  of  mercy,  and 
ready  always  to  succour  and  aid  both  soul  and  body  in 
all  affliction :  sheweth  us  further,  how  we  should  honour 
and  reverence  this  our  almighty  and  merciful  God :  so 
that  the  end  and  whole  sum  of  the  first  commandment 
is,  that  only  God  would  be  known  of  his  people  to  be 
God  and  honoured  as  God.  So  doth  God  first  instruct 
the  mind  and  soul  of  man,  before  he  require  any  out- 
ward work  or  external  reverence ;  or  else  all  together  were 
hypocrisy,  whatsoever  shew  or  perfection  it  seemeth  to 
have  in  the  eye  of  the  world.  He  layeth  therefore  the 
first  commandment  as  a  foundation  of  all  true  religion, 
as  the  original  and  spring  of  all  virtue,  and  openeth  the 
well  and  fountain  of  all  mischief  and  abomination  in  these 

he  sum  of  words :    "  Thou  shalt  have  no  strange  gods  before  my 

le  rest  of  o       o  j 

le  com-  ^  face."    This  second  precept,  and  the  two  other  that  follow 
f  the  first  in  the  first  table,  teacheth  us  how  to  honour  God  in  ex- 
ternal religion  or  outward  works,  and  to  shew  the  fear, 
faith,  and   love,  that  we  bear   unto  God  in  our  hearts 
unto  the  world. 

Two  of  these  last  commandments  sheweth  what  we 
should  do;  and  the  third,  which  I  now  expound,  what  we 
'he  end  of  should  not  do.     The  purpose,  end,  and  will  of  this  second 
ommand-  commandment  is,  that  God's  pleasure  is  unto  us,  that  we 
" '       should  not  profane  or  dishonour  the  true  religion  or  honour 


THE   SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


817 


of  God  with  superstitious  ceremonies  or  rites,  not  com- 
manded by  him.  Wherefore,  by  this  second  command- 
ment he  calleth  man  from  all  gross  and  carnal  opinions 
or  judgments  of  God,  the  which  the  foolish  and  ignorant 
prudence  and  wit  of  man  conceiveth,  where  as  it  judgeth 
without  the  scripture;  and  forbiddeth  external  idolatry, 
as  in  the  first  internal. 

This  commandment  hath  three  parts.    The  first  taketh  The partsof 
from  us  all  liberty  and  licence,  that  we  in  no  case  repre-  command- 
sent  or  manifest  the  God  invisible  and  incomprehensible 
with  any  figure  or  image ;   or  represent  him  unto  our 
senses,  that  cannot  be  comprehended  by  the  wit  of  man 
nor  angel. 

The  second  part  forbiddeth  to  honour  any  image. 

The  third  part  sheweth  us,  that  it  is  no  need  to  re- 
present God  unto  us  by  any  image. 

Moses,  Dent.  iv.  giveth  a  reason  of  the  first  part,  why 
no  image  should  be  made  :  "  Remember,"  saith  he  to  the  Deut.  iv.  is. 
people,  "  that  the  Lord  spake  to  thee  in  the  vale  of  Oreb. 
Thou  heardest  a  voice,  but  sawest  no  manner  similitude, 
but  only  a  voice  heardest  thou."    Esay,  cap.  40,  41,  45,  46.  isai.  xi.  is. 
diligently  sheweth  what  an  absurdity  and  undecent  thing  it  and  xlvi.  5. 
is,  to  profane  the  majesty  of  God  incomprehensible  with 
a  little  block  or  stone ;  a  spirit  with  an  image.    The  same 
doth  Paul,  Acts  xvii.    The  text  therefore  forbiddeth  all 
manners  of  images,  that  are  made  to  express  or  represent 
Almighty  God. 

The   second  part  forbiddeth   to  honour  any  image 
made. 

The  first  word,  "honour,"  signifieth  to  bow  head,  leg,  what  it  is 
knee,  or  any  part  of  the  body  unto  them,  as  all  those  images, 
do  that  say  they  may  with  good  conscience  be  suffered 
in  the  church  of  Christ.  To  serve  them  is  to  do  some- 
what for  their  sakes,  as  to  cense  them  with  incense,  to 
gild,  to  run  on  pilgrimage  to  them,  to  kneel  or  pray 
before  them,  to  be  more  affectionate  to  one  than  to  the 
other,  to  set  lights^  before  them,  with  such-like  super- 
stition and  idolatry.  God  be  praised !  I  may  be  short  or 
write  nothing  at  all  in  this  matter,  because  such  as  I 


\}  Set  high  Ughts,  C] 


3]  8  A    DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

write  unto,  my  countrymen,  be  persuaded  already  aright 
in  this  commandment. 

The  second  part  sheweth  us,  how  idolatry  proceedeth 
and  taketh  place  in  men's  conscience.  The  mind  of  man, 
when  it  is  not  illuminated  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  nor 
governed  by  the  scripture,  it  imagineth  and  feigneth  God 
to  be  like  unto  the  imagination  and  conceit  of  his  mind, 
and  not  as  the  scripture  teacheth.  When  this  vanity  or 
fond  imagination  is  conceived  in  the  mind,  there  foUoweth 
a  further  success  of  the  ill.  He  purposeth  to  express  by 
some  figure  or  image  God  in  the  same  form  and  similitude 
that  his  imagination  hath  first  printed  in  his  mind ;  so 
that  the  mind  conceiveth  the  idol,  and  afterward  the  hand 
worketh  and  representeth  the  same  unto  the  senses. 

Therefore  God  first  forbiddeth  this  inward  and  spiritual 
idolatry  of  the  mind,  when  he  saith,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no 
strange  gods  before  my  face."  If  the  mind  be  corrupted, 
and  not  persuaded  aright,  then  foUoweth  the  making  of 
images,  and  after  the  honouring  of  them.  The  cause  there- 
fore of  external  idolatry  is  internal  and  inward  ignorance 
of  God  and  his  word,  as  Lactantius^  writeth  in  his  book 
of  the  Original  of  Error.  As  it  cannot  be  otherwise,  but 
where  as  the  air  is  corrupted,  there  must  follow  pestilence 
and  infection  of  the  blood,  Galen.  Lib.  i.  De  diff.  feb.  cap.  6.; 
so  where  the  mind  is  not  purely  persuaded  of  God,  must 
follow  this  gross  and  sensible  idolatry,  that  would  honour 
God  in  an  idol. 

The  original  cause  why  they  are  made,  is,  that  man 
thinketh  God  would  not  be  present  to  help  him,  except 
he  be  presented  someways  unto  their  carnal  eyes;  as  the 
example  of  the  Israelites  declareth,  that  required  Aaron 
to  make  them  gods  that  might  lead  them  in  their  journey. 
They  knew  right  well  that  there  was  but  one  God,  whom 

Haec  fuit  prima  gens  quae  Deum  ignoravit ;  quoniam  princeps  ejus 
et  conditor  (Chanaan)  cultum  Dei  a  patre  non  accepit,  maledictus  ab  eo, 
itaque  ignorantiam  divinitatis  minoribus  suis  reliquit.  •  *  *  •  «  Ceteri 
autem,  qui  per  terrain  dispersi  fuemnt,  admirantes  elementa  mundi, 
coelum,  solem,  terrain,  mare,  sine  ullis  imaginibus  ac  templis  venera- 
bantur,  et  his  sacrificia  in  aperto  celebrabant ;  donee  processu  temporum 
potentissimis  regibus  templa  et  simulacra  fecerunt;  eaque  victimis  et 
odoribus  colere  instituerunt :  sic  aberrantes  a  notitia  Dei,  gentes  esse 
coeperunt,  &c.  Lact.  De  Orig.  err.  Lib.  ii.  cap.  13.  Oxon.  1684,  p.  190, 191 .] 


THE   SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


.319 


they  knew  by  the  miracles  that  he  wrought  among  them ; 
but  they  thought  he  would  not  be  present  and  at  hand 
with  them,  except  they  might  see  him  in  some  corporal 
figure  and  image,  and  that  the  image  might  be  a  testimony 
of  his  presence.    So  see  we,  that  no  man  falleth  into  this 
gross  idolatry,  but  such  as  be  first  infected  with  a  false 
opinion  of  God  and  his  word ;  then,  say  they,  they  worship 
not  the  image,  but  the  thing  represented  by  the  image  ^, 
Against  whom  writeth  Saint  Augustine,  in  Psalm  cxviii.  and  Psal.  cxix. 
cxiii.,  in  the  4th  book  of  the  City  of  God,  cap.  5,  that  and Dedvit. 
"  images  take  away  fear  from  men,  and  bring  them  into  cap!  5! 
error.    The  ancient  Romans  more  religiously,"  saith  he, 
"  honoured  their  gods  without  images^." 

Seeing  there  is  no  commandment  in  any  of  the  both 
testaments  to  have  images,  but,  as  ye  see,  the  contrary  ; 
and  likewise  the  universal  catholic  and  holy  church  never 
used  images,  as  the  writings  of  the  apostles  and  prophets 
testify :  it  is  but  an  ethnick  verity*  and  gentiles'  idolatry 
to  say  God  and  his  saints  be  honoured  in  them,  when  that 
all  histories  testify,  that  in  manner  for  the  space  of  five 
hundred  years  after  Christ's  ascension,  when  the  doctrine 
of  the  gospel  was  most  sincerely  preached,  was  no  image 
used.  Would  to  God  the  church  were  now  as  purely  and 
well  instructed,  as  it  was  before  these  avaricious  ministers 

Videntur  autem  sibi  purgations  esse  religionis  qui  dicunt,  Nec 
simulacrum  nec  dsemonium  colo,  sed  per  effigiem  corporalem  ejus  rei 
signum  intueor,  quam  colere  debeo.  «  *  •  *  *  Itaque  Apostoli  una 
sententia  poenam  istorum  damnationemque  testatur.  Qui  transmutave- 
runt,  inquit,  veritatem  Dei  in  mendacium,  et  coluerunt  et  servierunt 
creaturse  potius  quam  Creatori,  qui  est  benedictus  Deus  in  saecula.  Nam 
priore  parte  hujus  sententise  simulacra  damnavit,  posteriori  autem  inter- 
pretationes  simulacrorum.  Aug.  Op.  Basil,  1542,  Tom.  viii.  co.  1306 
—7.    In  Psalm.  113.] 

P  Dicit  enim  [Varro]  antiques  Romanes  plusquam  annos  centum  et 
septuaginta  Deos  sine  simulacro  coluisse.  Quod  si  adhuc,  inquit,  man- 
sisset,  castius  Dii  observarentur.  Cujus  sententise  suae  testem  adhibet 
inter  cetera  etiam  gentem  Judaeam :  nec  dubitat  eum  locum  ita  con- 
cludere,  ut  dicat,  Qui  primi  simulacra  deorum  populis  posuerunt,  eos 
civitatibus  suis  et  metum  dempsisse,  et  errorem  addidisse :  prudenter 
existimans  deos  facile  posse  in  simulacrorum  stoliditate  contemni.  Aug. 
Op.  Basil,  1542,  Tom.  v.  co.  272.    De  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  31.] 

Qu.  vanity  ?] 


320  A   DECLARATION  OP  THE  TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  dumb  doctors  of  the  lay  people  were  made  preachers 
in  the  church  of  God !    Read  Augustine,  Epist.  xHx.'  et 

[Psai.  cxiv.]  Psal.  cxiii.  Therefore  Saint  John  biddeth  us  not  only  be- 
ware of  honouring  of  images,  but  of  the  images'  selves. 

Thou  shalt  find  the  original  of  images  in  no  part  of 
God's  word,  but  in  the  writings  of  the  gentiles  and  infidels, 
or  in  such  that  more  followed  their  own  opinion  and  super- 
stitious imaginations  than  the  authority  of  God's  word^. 

i.  Lib.  2.  Herodotus^  Lib.  ii.  saith,  that  "  the  Egyptians  were  the  first 
that  made  images  to  represent  their  gods."  And  as  the 
gentiles  fashioned  their  gods  with  what  figures  they  listed, 
so  doth  the  Christians.  To  declare  God  to  be  strong,  they 
made  him  the  form  of  a  lion;  to  be  vigilant  and  dili- 
gent, the  form  of  a  dog ;  and,  as  Herodotus*  saith.  Lib.  ii., 
Mendesii  formed  their  god  Pana  with  a  goat's  face  and 
goat's  legs,  and  thought  they  did  their  god  great  honour, 
because  among  them  the  herdmen  of  goats  ^  were  had  in 
most  estimation. 

So  doth  those,  that  would  be  accounted  Christians,  paint 
God  and  his  saints  with  such  pictures  as  they  imagine  in 
their  fantasies :  God,  like  an  old  man  with  a  hoary  head, 
as  though  his  youth  were  past,  which  hath  neither  beginning 
nor  ending ;  Saint  George,  with  a  long  spear  upon  a  jolly 
hackney,  that  gave  the  dragon  his  death-wound,  as  the 
painters  say,  in  the  throat ;  Saint  White,  with  as  many  round 
cheeses  as  may  be  painted  about  his  tabernacle.  No  differ- 
ence at  all  between  a  christian  man  and  gentile  in  this 
idolatry,  saving  only  the  name.  For  they  thought  not  their 
images  to  be  God,  but  supposed  that  their  gods  would  be 
honoured  that  ways,  as  the  Christians  doth. 

[}  Qusest.  3"  solvens  docet,  Latriam  nec  hominibus  piis  nec  angelis 
bonis  exhibendam :  multo  minus  saxis  et  hominibus.   Aug.  Op.  Basil, 
1542.  Tom.  ii.  co.  197.  Ep.  49.] 
See  above,  p.  318,  note  1.] 

P  ^(Ojxovs  TE  KoX  dyaXnaTa  kol  vrjoiis  Bfoivi  airoveifiai  (T(j)eag  TTparovs, 
Koi  ftoa  iv  \L6oun  fyyXvyjrai.    Herodoti  Hist.  Lib.  ii.  4.] 

^  TOP  Ilava  tS)V  oKxa  Oeav  Xoyi^ovrai  dvai  ol  Mev8q(noi'  tovs  Se  oktco, 

K.  T.  X,  ypa(f}ov(TL  re  8?)  fcai  yXv(f)ov(ri  ol  ^a}ypd(f}oi  kol  oi  dyaXixaTOTroioi  rov 

Jlavbs  rayaXfia,  KaraTrep  "EXXi^ves,  atyorrpocraTrov  Koi  rpayodKeXia,  k.  t.  X. 
Herodoti  Hist.  Lib.  ii,  47.] 

p  The  herd  men  of  gotes,  A,  they  hearde  men  of  gotes,  B,  the 
heard  men  of  gotes,  C] 


v.]  THE   SECOND   COMMANDMENT.  321 

I  write  these  things  rather  in  a  contempt  and  hatred 
of  this  abominable  idolatry,  than  to  learn  any  Englishman 
the  truth.  For  my  belief  and  hope  is,  that  every  man 
in  England  knoweth  praying  to  saints  and  kneeling  before 
images  is  idolatry,  and  instruments  of  the  devil  to  lead 
men  from  the  commandments  of  God ;  and  that  they  are 
appointed  in  many  places  to  be  as  doctors  to  teach  the 
people  :  these  doctors  and  doctrine  the  bishops  and  pas- 
tors shall  bewail  before  the  judgment-seat  of  God  at  the 
hour  of  death ;  and  likewise  the  princes  of  the  world, 
whose  office  is  daily  to  read  and  learn  the  scripture,  that 
they  themselves  might  be  able  to  judge  the  bishops'  doc- 
trine, and  also  see  them  apply  the  vocation  they  are  called 
unto.  It  is  not  only  a  shame  and  an  undecent  thing  for 
a  prince  to  be  ignorant,  what  curates  his  subjects  hath 
through  all  his  realm  ;  but  also  a  thing  so  contrary  unto 
the  word  of  God,  that  nothing  provoketh  more  the  ire  of 
God  against  him  and  his  realm,  than  such  a  contempt  of 
God's  commandment. 

The  third  part  declareth,  that  it  is  no  need  to  shew  God  ^edfurto°* 
unto  us  by  images,  and  proveth  the  same  with  three  reasons,  unto  us°by 
First,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,"  that  loveth  thee,  helpeth  j^^efrea- 
thee,  defendeth  thee,  is  present  with  thee  :  believe  and  love 
me,  so  shalt  thou  have  no  need  to  seek  me  and  my  favour- 
able presence  in  any  image. 

The  second  reason,  "  I  am  a  jealous  God,"  and  cannot 
suffer  thee  to  love  any  thing  but  in  me  and  for  me.  When 
we  two  were  married  and  knit  together,  for  the  love  that 
I  bore  unto  thee  I  gave  thee  certain  rules  and  precepts, 
how  in  all  things  thou  mayst  keep  my  love  and  good-will 
towards  thee ;  and  thou  promisedst  me  obedience  unto  my 
commandments.  Exod.  xix.  So  honour  me  and  love  me,  Exod.  xix. 
as  it  standeth  written  in  the  writings  and  indentures 
written  between  us  both.  I  cannot  suffer  to  be  otherwise 
honoured  than  I  have  taught  in  my  tables  and  testament. 

The  third  reason  is,  that  God  revengeth  the  profana- 
tion of  his  divine  majesty,  if  it  be  transcribed  to  any  crea- 
ture or  image :  and  that  not  only  in  him  that  committeth 
the  idolatry,  but  also  in  his  posterity  in  the  third  and  fourth 
generation,  if  they  follow  their  father's  idolatry;  as  I  "give 
mercy  into  the  thousandth  generation,"  when  the  children 

r  1  21 

I  HOOPER. j 


322  A   DECLARATION   OP    THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


follow  their  father's  virtue.  Then  to  avoid  the  ire  of  God, 
and  to  obtain  his  favour,  we  must  use  no  images  to  ho- 
nour him  withal.  This  ye  may  read,  Num.  xii.  Jer.  xxxii. 
isai.xxxix.2.  and  Esa.  xxxix.,  how  king  Hezekiah's  sons  lost  their  father's 
kingdom,  and  were  carried  into  captivity  for  their  father's 
sin.  Read  the  xiii.  xiv.  and  xvth  chapters  of  Deutero- 
nomy, and  see  how  Moses  interpretateth  this  second  com- 
mandment more  at  large. 

Grod's  laws  expulseth  and  putteth  images  out  of  the 
church,  Exod.  xx.  Deut.  v. :  then  no  man's  laws  should 
bring  them  in.  As  for  their  doctrine  they  teach  the  un- 
learned, it  is  a  weak  reason  to  stablish  them  withal.  A 
man  may  learn  more  of  a  live  ape  than  of  a  dead  image, 
if  both  should  be  brought  into  the  school  to  teach. 


CAPUT  VI. 

THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shdlt  not  use  the  Name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain. 
The  end  of        The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  we  always  use  reve- 

this  law.  V        L        y  J 

rently  the  name  of  God ;  that  is  to  say,  the  majesty  and 
essence  divine,  that  consisteth  in  one  divine  nature  and 
essence,  and  in  three  ^  persons,  the  Father,  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Threethings  This  most  honourable,  fearful,  and  blessed  name  no 
heed  of  in  man  should  unreverently  profane  or  temerously  without  good 
namingGod.  g^^jyjggjjjgj^^  ^j^gg  think  upon  or  speak  of,  but  diligently  take 

heed  of  these  three  things  : 

First,  that  whatsoever  we  think  or  speak  be  agreeable 
and  consonant  unto  the  excellency  and  holiness  of  his  name, 
and  extend  to  the  setting  forth  of  his  glory.  Second,  that 
we  abuse  not  his  holy  word,  nor  pervert  the  meaning  and 
mysteries  thereof  to  serve  our  avarice,  ambition,  or  folly; 
but  as  he  hath  opened  himself  and  his  will  in  his  word, 
so  to  know  him,  so  to  fear  him,  so  to  love  him,  so  to 
serve,  so  to  instruct  ourselves  in  faith,  and  so  to  teach 
other.  Thirdly,  that  we  reverently  speak  and  judge  of 
[}  There,  A,  their,  B,  three,  C] 


VI.J 


THK   THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


323 


all  his  works,  without  detraction  or  contumely,  acknowledging 
his  inscrutable  prudence  and  justice  in  all  things  with  laud 
and  praise,  as  well  in  adversity  as  in  prosperity.  Psal.  xxxiv. 

They  obey  this  commandment,  and  use  the  name  of  I'^e  rigrht 

use  of  this 

God  aright,  that  preach  Almighty  God  as  he  commandeth  command- 
in  his  word ;  that  pray  unto  him  as  it  teacheth ;  to  give 
him  thanks  for  adversity  and  prosperity,  as  it  teacheth ; 
to  confess  him  before  the  world,  as  it  teacheth.  These 
be  the  works  of  this  third  commandment,  and  be  com- 
mended unto  us  in  all  the  scripture,  as  well  unto  the 
princes  and  magistrates  of  the  world  and  every  private 
person,  as  unto  such  as  be  appointed  unto  the  ministry 
and  office  of  the  church :    that  every  private  person  is 
bound  to  teach  such  as  be  under  him ;  the  fathers  their 
children,  the  elders  the  younger,  as  thou  mayst  read  in  these 
places  of  the  scripture ;   Deut.  iv.  vi.  xi.  Ps.  Ixxvii.  Job  i. :  ^eutyv.  9. 
that  the  princes  should  do  the  same  unto  their  subjects,  Psai.uxviii, 
read  Deut.  xvii.  2  Reg.  i.  S  Rear.  x.  Job  iv.  Ps.  xxx.  1.  j'ob'i.  5. 

Deut.  X. 

As  for  the  ministers'  duty,  there  be  as  many  places  that  is.  ' 

commandeth  them  to  do  their  office,  as  be  names  of  books,  i^lfngs  x.] 

and  in  manner  chapters  in  the  bible :  as  be  for  prayers  unto 

God  and  thanksgiving,  how  and  when  it  should  be  done, 

the  book  of  Psalms,  writings  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  ; 

likewise  the  commandment  of  our  Saviour  Christ  declareth. 

Matt.  vi.  John  xiv.  The  confession  of  God  and  his  word  before 

the  world  is  commanded  in  both  Testaments,  and  confirmed 

with  the  example  of  all  men  that  loved  the  truth  from 

the  beginning ;   as  Abel,  Seth,  Noha,  Esaias,  Christ,  and 

his  apostles ;  yea,  of  the  simple  maid  and  prisoner  in  the 

house  of  Naaman  Syrus,  4  Reg.  v.,  that  feared  not  to  confess  [2  Kings  v.] 

the  living  God  in  a  strange  country  before  them  that  were 

God's  enemies.     This  maid  shall  damn  in  the  last  judgment 

all  those  that  for  fear,  not  only  in  a  strange  country,  but 

also  at  home,  dare  not  confess  the  truth. 

In  these  four  works  are  contained  all  other  that  apper- 
tain to  the  setting  forth  of  God's  glory,  as  be  these ;  to 
learn  the  word  of  God,  teach  it  unto  other,  to  promote 
it  with  example  of  honest  and  godly  Ufe,  when  the  glory 
of  God,  the  defence  of  the  truth,  the  conservation  of  jus- 
tice, and  deliverance  of  innocency  requireth  to  make  open 
an  unknown  truth,  and  to  confirm  the  same. 

21—2 


324         A   DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


To  swear  or  take  an  oath  before  a  lawful  judge  is  the 
work  also  of  this  commandment,  and  setteth  forth  God's 
glory.    Deut.  iv.    For  as  Paul  saith,  all  controversies  are 
ended  by  the  virtue  of  an  oath ;  so  have  we  examples  in 
Rom.  ix.  1.  Paul,  Rom.  ix.,  in  Abraham  and  Isaac  with  Abiraelech, 

Gen.  xxi,  23. 

Gen.  xxxi.   Jacob  and  Laban,  Gen.  xxxi.,  between  Booz  and  Ruth, 
Ruthiii.i3.  Ruth  iii. :  so  of  good  Abdias\  3  Reg.  xviii.    The  oath  thus 
xviii.  ^       taken  declareth  him  that  received  it  to  acknowledge  and 
give  unto  God  only  this  honour,  that  he  alone  knoweth 
what  is  in  man's  heart ;  and  likewise  bindeth  God  to  re- 
venge and  punish  him,  if  he  swear  false ;   unto  the  which 
pain  the  condition  and  tenor  of  the  oath  bindeth  him,  and 
raaketh  himself  the  vessel,  wherein  God  may  exercise  his 
displeasure  and  justice.    For  God  will  not  leave  him  un- 
punished, that  taketh  his  name  in  vain ;  as  it  is  written  in 
the  second  part  of  this  commandment.  Exod.  xx.  Deut.  v. 
Of  whom  the       These  be  the  works  required  of  us  in  this  third  command- 
this^com-    ment;  the  which  can  be  done  of  no  man,  but  of  such  as  first 
mayb™*"*  know  God  in  Jesu  Christ,  and  for  his  merits  be  reconciled, 
and  hath  his  sins  forgiven.     Then  they  spring  out  of  the 
fountain  and  original  of  all  good  works,  faith,  love,  and  fear 
of  God,  which  be  works  of  the  first  commandment.  All 
other,  whether  it  be  prayer,  preaching  of  God's  word,  con- 
fession of  his  name,  or  giving  of  thanks,  with  such  as  follow 
in  the  next  commandment,  and  likewise  in  the  second  table, 
pleaseth  God  none  otherwise  than  they  proceed  of  faith  in 
the  mercy  of  God  through  Christ  Jesu  our  Saviour. 
Works  re-        As  theso  works  agree  with  the  commandment,  so  be  there 
thj|°om-°  works  contrary  and  repugnant  unto  this  commandment 
mandment.  ^j^^^  ^^j^j^^  »  j,^^^  ^j^^j^         ^^^^  ^^le  name  of  the  Lord 

thy  God  in  vain;"  the  which  is  done  divers  ways,  as  it  shall 
appear  in  the  numbering  of  certain  daily  used  vices,  and 
horrible  blasphemies  daily  used,  not  only  unpunished,  but 
also  as  a  thing  commendable,  and  worthy  praise  of  the  most 
part  of  people. 

The  most  horrible  abuse  of  this  holy  and  most  fearful 
name  is  among  such  as  think  there  is  no  God  to  remu- 
nerate virtue  nor  to  punish  vice,  as  the  Epicures  say. 
Would  to  God  the  same  blasphemy  had  corrupted  none 
that  bear  the  name  of  Christianity! 

[}  Abdias :  Obadiah.   Old  editions,  God  Abdias.] 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


325 


There  were  always  in  the  church  such,  as  it  appeareth, 
Esay  xxii.  cap.  and  Luke  xiii.,  and  be  at  this  day  a  great  isai.xxu.is. 
number,  that  say,  not  platly-  and  plainly,  "  there  is  no  God "  ^^"-i^. 
but  by  certain  circumlocutions  and  paraphrases,  as  well  by 
words  as  ill  conversation  of  life,  think  there  is  no  heaven 
nor  hell,  and  believeth  not  as  much  the  scripture  of  God, 
as  the  words  of  him  that  knoweth  neither  God  nor  god- 
liness. 

The  second  sort  that  abuse  this  holy  name  of  God  be 
those,  that  under  the  pretence  and  name  of  God,  his  word, 
and  his  holy  church,  seek  their  own  glory  and  profit.  As 
the  pope,  under  the  title  and  pretence  of  God's  ministry, 
hath  gotten  himself  not  only  a  bishopric,  but  also  the 
whole  monarchy,  in  manner,  of  all  Europe ;  a  richer  king- 
dom than  any  prince  of  the  world ;  which  never  ceased  from 
his  beginning  to  move  christian  princes  to  most'^  cruel  and 
bloody  war,  under  the  cloak  and  mantle  of  God's  name. 
What  means  and  craft  hath  he  found  to  maintain  this 
whorish  and  antichrist [ian]'  seat  of  abomination;  idols,  pere- 
grinations, masses,  dispensations,  absolutions,  defensions  of 
all  things  abominable ;  tyrannies  against  virtue,  stablish- 
ments  of  his  own  laws,  abrogations  of  God's  laws,  emptying 
of  heaven,  and  filling  of  hell,  blessing  of  things  exterior, 
oil,  bell,  bread,  water,  with  other  that  be  not  cursed,  and 
cursing  of  the  souls  that  Christ  redeemed  with  his  pre- 
cious blood ;  with  a  thousand  more  such  abominations, 
under  the  name  and  pretence  of  God  and  his  holy  church, 
the  which  neither  the  patriarchs,  neither  the  prophets, 
Christ,  neither  his  apostles,  never  knew  of,  as  both  the 
Testaments  doth  bear  record. 

The  same  doth  such  as  preach  in  the  church  of  God 
their  own  imaginations,  decrees  of  men ;  for  be  their  doc- 
trine never  so  false,  it  hath  a  fair  title  and  name  of  God's 
word,  when  it  is  but  a  subtle  quiddity  of  Duns,  a  vain 
sophism  of  Aristotle,  a  superstitious  decree  of  the  bishops' 
laws,  a  copy  of  vain  glory  and  crafty  connexion  of  words, 
to  satisfy  the  most  part  of  the  audience,  and  to  flatter  the 
richest ;  wresting  and  writhing  the  simple  verity  of  God's 
words  into  as  many  forms  and  divers  sentences,  as  be  vain 

P  Platly,  A  and  B,  flatly,  C] 

P  To  most,  A  and  C,  to  the  most,  B.]  Supplied  from  C] 


326  A   DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  carnal  affections  wrought  within  his  ungodly  heart.  So 
for  the  law  of  God  they  preach  the  lavj  of  man ;  for  the 
gospel,  judaical  superstition  ;  for  Christ,  themselves  ;  which 
honour  not  Grod's  name,  as  the  law  of  the  holy  and  catholic 
church  of  Christ  teacheth,  but  dishonoureth  and  taketh  it 
in  vain,  with  the  church  of  antichrist  and  the  devil.  For 
Christ  bid  his  disciples  preach  none  other  than  he  himself 

Matt. xxviii.  commanded  them.  Matt,  xxviii.  cap.;  yea,  he  shewed  that 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  should  teach  none  other 

John  xvi.  13.  thing  than  by  him  was  taught,  John  xv. 

Therefore  such  as  will  occupy  the  office  of  a  preacher, 
first  must  be  well  learned  in  the  things  that  appertain  unto 
the  gospel,  then  free  from  all  such  affections  as  rather  seek- 
eth  himself  and  the  world,  than  the  furtherance  of  the 
doctrine  he  preacheth.  It  is  not  enough  that  he  preach 
the  truth,  but  that  only  he  have  a  respect  unto  the  glory 
of  Christ:  then  shall  he  boldly  speak  the  truth  without 
respect  of  persons,  not  tempering  his  oration  with  colours 
of  flattery,  but  hardly  call  virtue  virtue,  and  vice  vice,  as  he 
seeth  occasion,  whosoever  be  his  audience.  Saint  John,  in 
his  epistle,  chap,  iii.,  sheweth  who  is  apt  for  this  office,  to 
preach  the  word  of  God.  So  doth  Christ,  Matt.  x.  So 
doth  Paul,  1  Tim.  iii.,  Titus  i.  So  doth  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets. Nothing  more  blasphemeth  the  name  of  God  than 
false  doctrine,  and  such  as  seeketh  themselves,  and  can  use 
the  word  of  God '  as  they  see  their  audience,  and  not  as  it 
is  commanded  them  by  the  word  of  God.  Such  preachers 
hath  brought  the  superior  powers  of  the  earth  unto  a  con- 
tempt of  God's  word,  hatred  of  the  preacher,  when  he 
telleth  truth,  and  the  unlearned  into  blindness  and  ig- 
norancy. 

Those  abuse  the  name  of  God  that  seek  help  of  damned 
spirits,  or  of  such  souls  as  be  departed  out  of  this  world, 
1  Sam.xxviii.  as  Saul  did,  1  Reg.  xxviii. ;  or  those  that  by  necromancy, 
or  such  like  enchantments,  abuse  the  name  of  God  to  re- 
suscitate dead  bodies,  or  call  spirits  departed  unto  the  body 
again  ;  which  is  nothing  else  but  an  illusion  and  craft  of 
the  devil  to  make  men  believe  lies.  Those  men  in  English 
be  called  conjurers,  who  useth  arts  forbidden  by  God's 
laws,  and  also  by  the  laws  of  ethnicks,  before  Christ  was 

Of  God,  omitted  in  C:.] 


vx.] 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


327 


born.    Titus  Livius'^,  Lib.  i.  de  urhis  origine,  writeth  of  Numa  Lib.  i. 
Pompilius,  that  was  instructed  disciplina  tetrica ;  the  which 
disciphne  St  Augustine^  calleth  hydromanciam  either  wecro- De  civit. 
manciam.     Lib.  De  Civit.  vii.  cap.  35.     The  which  arts  ^aplss^"  ™" 
were  forbidden,  as  it  appeareth  by  Apuleius/  which  in 
his  book  De  Magia  defendeth  himself  against  one  that 
accused  him  of  necromancy.     The  law  of  the  twelve  tables, 
that  were  in  Rome  long  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  for- 
biddeth  those  arts,  as  Cicero  '  writeth,  De  Bepuh.  The  more  I 
wonder,  that  any  such  superstitious  books  should  be  printed 
under  the  privilege  of  any  christian  prince  or  magistrates, 
as  be  the  books  of  John  Tritemius"  and  Henry  Cornelius 
Agrippa",  specially  his  third  book  De  occulta  philosophia, 
that  is  to  say,  of  secret  philosophy;  with  many  other  that 
spared  no  labour  in  setting  forth  such  ungodly  works. 

They  brought  first  the   abuse   of  God's  name  into 
christian  men's  hearts,  and  taught  them  the  same  super- 
stition that  once  was,  namely,   among  the  Persians  and 
Egyptians.    Valerius,  Lib,  viii.  cap.  6**     For  as  among  the  Vaienus.iib. 
gentiles  there  were  some  called  augures,  that  by  observation 


P  Suopte  igitur  ingenio  temperatum  animum  virtutibus  fuisse  opinor 
magis  :  instructumque  non  tam  peregrinis  artibus,  quam  disciplina  tetrica 
ac  tristi  veteram  Sabinorum,  quo  genere  nullum  quondam  incorruptius 
fuit.    Livy,  Lib.  i.  cap.  18.] 

P  Nam  et  ipse  Numa,  ad  quem  nuUus  Dei  prophets,  millus  sanctus 
angelus  mittebatur,  hydromantiam  facere  compulsus  est  :*  *  *  *  Quse 
sive  hydromantia  sive  necromantia  dicatur,  id  ipsum  est,  ubi  videntur 
mortui  divinare.   Aug.  Op.  Basil.  1542.  Tom.  v.  co.  423.] 

1^''  Aggredior  enim  jam  ad  ipsum  crimen  Magise,  quae  ingenti  tumultu, 
ad-  inyidiam  mei,  accensum,  frustrata  expectatione  omnium,  per  nescio 
quas  anileis  fabulas  deflagravit,  &c.  Apulei.  Op.  Lugd.  Bat.  1588,  p.  324, 
Apologia.  I.] 

[5  This  seems  to  refer  to  a  fragment  of  Cicero,  to  be  found  quoted  by 
Augustine,  or  some  other  of  the  Fathers.] 

John  Trithemius,  a  man  of  profound  learning,  who  was  Abbot  of 
Spanheim,  &c.  He  died  in  1516.  His  cabbalistical  wi'itings  were  re- 
published, enlarged,  and  translated  into  French  by  Collange,  in  1561.] 

Henry  Cornelius  Agrippa  was  an  eminent  scholar,  and  reputed  to 
be  a  magician.  He  wrote  upon  the  occult  sciences,  and  died  1535.  His 
works  were  printed  in  2  vols.  8vo.  apud  Beringos  fratres.] 

P  There  is  some  error  in  this,  as  in  many  of  the  other  references  :  it 
probably  should  be,  Lib.  viii.  cap.  2.  1 .] 


328 


A   DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


of  the  birds  of  the  air  in  their  flying,  crying,  and  eating, 
made  men  beheve  they  knew  things  to  come;  so  among 
the  Christians  be  some  that  think  they  can  do  the  same : 
as  if  the  pye  chatter,  they  look  for  guests ;  if  the  crow 
cry,  they  say  we  shall  have  rain ;  if  the  owl  howl,  it  is 
sign  of  death. 

And  as  there  were  some  that  by  the  observation  of 
the  stars  took  upon  them  to  speak  of  things  to  come  by 
certain  superstitious  and  devilish  incantations,  which  the 
Persians  call  Magos ;  the  Greeks,  Pliilosophos ;  the  Latins, 
Sapientes ;  Galli',  Druidas ;  the  Egyptians,  Sacerdotes ; 
the  Indies,  GymnosopMstas ;  the  Assyrians,  Ghaldeos :  so 
is  there  amongst  the  Christians  the  same  sort  of  people, 
which  be  called  soothsayers  or  prognosticators,  that  write 
and  speak  of  things  to  come.  As  when  Jupiter  ruleth  the 
constellations  above,  and  is  not  impeached  nor  let  by  the 
conjunction  of  his  contrary  planet,  we  shall  have  a  good 
year  and  a  plentiful.  If  Saturn,  and  such  as  astronomers 
attribute  contrary  qualities  unto,  reign,  we  shall  have 
scarcity  and  dearth  of  things. 

Lib.  xviii.  Phuy)  hb.  xviii.  writeth  of  such,  as  by  only  words  or 
with  some  other  thing  annexed  with  the  words,  worketh 
things  above  nature,  as  the  devil  hath  done  always,  as 

vaier.  lib.   histories  record,  Luca.  lib.  vi.   Valer.  lib.  viii.  cap.  1^, 

viii.  c.  1.  .  J:  7 

writeth  of  one  of  the  goddess  Vesta's  nuns,  that  was 
falsely  accused  of  an  unchaste  life,  desired  the  goddess 
to  deliver  her  innocency  in  that  crime  by  some  miracle, 
as  she  did.  The  maid  went  to  the  river  called  Tyber 
with  a  sieve,  and  brought  it  full  of  water  into  the  temple 
of  the  goddess.  So  among  christian  men  be  the  same  sort 
of  people,  that  by  the  abuse  of  God's  name,  through  the 
help  of  the  devil,  doth  many  times  work  the  same  in  heal- 
ing man  ;  and  lest,  as  not  many  years  sith  I  was  borne 
in  hand  of  a  poor  man  that  erred  by  ignorance,  that 
this  medicine  could  heal  all  diseases,  +  Jesus  +  Job  +  Jiahuit 
+  vermes  +  Job  +  patitur  +  vermes  +  in  +  nomine  +  Patris 

\}  Galli,  A  and  B,  the  French,  C] 

\^  Arrepto  enim  cribro,  Vesta,  inquit  (Tuccia  Virgo),  si  sacris  tuis 
castas  semper  admovi  manus,  effice  ut  hoc  hauriam  e  Tiberi  aquam,  et  in 
aedem  tuam  perferam.  Audaeiter  et  temere  jactis  votis  sacerdotis,  rerum 
ipsa  natura  cessit.    Valer.  Max.  Lib.  viii.  cap.  i.  -5.] 


VI.] 


THE   THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


329 


+  et  +  Filii  +  et  +  Spiritus  Sancfi  +  Amen  +  lama 
zabacthani  +.  God  opened  his  heart  afterwards  to  know 
the  truth. 

Such  as  be  given  to  the  arts  practive,  as  geometry, 
music,  astrology,  and  arithmetic,  taketh  upon  them  to 
judge  of  men's  conditions  by  the  sight  of  their  faces^.  Gell. 
Hb.  [i.]  cap.  9,  Hb.  xiv.  cap.  1.  So  be  there  among  people 
christened,  that  know  neither  art  nor  science,  that  take 
upon  them  to  know  the  same  by  their  countenance,  the 
lines  of  their  hands,  or  by  their  paces  or  going.  Lucan* 
the  poet  writeth,  that  one  resuscitated  from  death  to  life 
shewed  unto  Sextus  Pompeius,  what  should  be  the  success 
and  end  of  the  battle  in  the  fields  of  Thessaly.  So  writeth 
Pliny,  Lib.  xxxvii.  cap.  11,  and  TuUy,  Lib.  i.  Tusc.  Qucest. 
So  did  the  shadow  of  Samuel  shew  the  death  of  Saul, 
1  Reg.  xxviii.  The  same  doth  the  devil  shew  unto  many, 
that  by  the  abuse  of  God's  name  use  superstitious  con- 
jurations and  enchantments,  when  they  seek  the  truth  of 
the  devil  and  dead  bodies,  and  leave  the  word  of  the  living 
God. 

Augustus,  the  emperor,  forbid  this  superstitious  art,  and 
Claudius,  the  emperor,  clean  abolished  it.  Cjesar,  lib.  vi. 
How  the  law  of  christian  emperors  hath  forbidden  and 
punisheth  these  ungodly  arts,  thou  may  est  read  Cod.  lib.  ix. 
tit.  18.  The  law  civil  punisheth  it  with  banishment,  with 
the  sword,  and  to  be  torn  with  beasts.  Culpa  similis  est 
tam  proMbita  discere  quam  docere:  that  is  to  say,  the  fault 
is  one,  to  learn  and  teach  the  things  forbidden.  Read  the 
xviiith  chap,  of  Deuteronomy,  and  there  thou  shalt  find  as  Deut. 
many  names  of  those  that  use  forbidden  arts,  as  be  rehearsed 
by  Constantine  and  Julian^  the  emperors,  Cod.  lib.  ix.  tit.  18, 

Qui  sese  ad  discendum  obtulerant  ((pvaioyvmnovei.  Id  verbum  sig- 
nificat  mores  naturasque  hominum  conjectatione  quadanij  de  oris  et 
vultus  ingenio,  deque  totius  corporis  filo  atque  habitu  sciscitari.  Aul. 
Gell.  Noct.  Atticae.  Lib.  i.  cap.  9.  p.  25.  ColoniBe,  1641. — Adversus  eos 
qui  Chaldsei  appellantur,  et  ex  coetu  motibusque  siderum  et  stellarum^ 
fata  se  hominum  dicturos  pollicentur.  Ibid.  Title  to  Lib.  xiv.  cap.  1. 
p.  507.] 

Lucan.  Lib.  vi.  ad  finem.] 
P  Nemo  aruspicem  consulat,  aut  mathematicum,  nemo  auriolum  au- 
gurum  et  vatum  prava  confessio  conticescat.    Chaldaei,  ac  magi,  et  ceteri, 
quos  malejicos  ob  facinorum  magnitudinem  vulgus  appellat,  nec  ad  banc 


330  A    DECLARATION    OF    THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  likewise  the  isame  artsV  And  as  Moses  forbiddeth  all 
the  people  those  ungodly  arts,  so  doth  those  emperors. 
Both  Moses  in  God's  laws,  and  these  emperors  in  man's 
laws,  punisheth  with  death  the  transgressors  of  this  com- 
mandment. 

Deut.  xiii.5.  Moses,  Deuteronomj  xiii.  prescribeth  this  pain,  Pro- 
pheta  ille  aut  somniator  somniorum  occidi  debet,  eo  quod  aver- 
sionem  loquutus  sit  a  Domino  Deo  uestro:  that  is  to  say, 
"  that  prophet  or  dreamer  of  dreams  must  be  slain,  because 
he  hath  spoken  a  defection  or  apostasy  from  the  Lord 
Levit.  XX.  6.  your  God."  More  at  large  is  this  pain  wTitten,  Levit.  xx. 
isai.  xivu.  Esay,  capit.  xlvii.    Read  the  places,  the  execution  of 

[1  Sam.      the  pain  against  the  transgressors.      Read  1  Reg.  xxviii. 
2Kin^s      4  Reg.  xxiii.     In  the  law  of  man  we  read  thus,  Sileat 
Cod.'iib.ix.  omnibus  perpetuo  dimnandi  mriositas,  etenim  supplicio  capitis 
ferietur  gladio  ultore  prostratus,  quicunque  nostris  jussis  ohse- 
quium  denegmerit.  Cod.  lib.  ix.  tit.  18.^  that  is  to  say, 
"  The  superstition  of  fore-destinying  is  forbidden  always 
unto  all  men ;  and  whosoever  obey'  not  our  commandments 
is  condemned  unto  the  sword,  and  shall  suffer  the  loss  of 
his  head." 

Though  I  do  by  the  authority  of  God's  laws  and  man's 
laws  damn  this  damnable  art  mathematical,  I  do  not  damn 
such  other  arts  and  sciences,  as  be  associated  and  annexed 
with  this  unlawful  astrology.  As  is  geometry  and  arith- 
metic, those  be  necessary  for  every  man :  specially  arith- 
metic, for  she  extendeth,  as  a  necessary  aid,  not  only 
unto  all  sciences,  but  also  to  every  liberal  art  and  con- 
dition of  life.  And  among  all  arts  mathematical  arithmetic 
is  accounted  the  first :  music,  geometry,  and  astronomy 
wanteth  her  aid,  and  she  not  theirs.  Plin.  Lib.  xxxv. 
cap.  10.  They  be  the  gifts  of  God,  and  to  be  honoured, 
because  they  come  from  him  only,  that  giveth  all  goodness. 
Jac.  i.        Jac.  i. 

partem  aliqiiid  moliantur.  Sileat  omnibus  perpetuo  divinandi  curiositas. 
Etenim  supplicio  capitis  ferietur  gladio  ultore  pfostratus,  quicunque 
jussis  nostris  obsequium  denegaverit.  Impp.  Constantius  A.  et  Julianus 
C.  ad  populum.  Corpus  Juris  Civilis  Cod.  Lib.  ix.  tit.  18.  cap.  5.  (Antv. 
1726.  Tom.  II.  p.  411.)] 

['  Ars  autem  mathematica  damnabilis  est,  et  interdicta  omnino.  Ibid, 
cap. 

\J  See  note  5,  p.  329.] 


VI.] 


THE   THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


331 


Further,  the  emperors  of  the  world,  Diocletian,  Max- 
imianus,  Tiberius,  Cod.  lib.  ix.  tit.  18,  doth  permit  these  Cod.  lib.  ix. 
arts.  Artem  geometriw  discere  atque  exercere  puhUce  interest ; 
ars  autem  mathematica  damnabilis  interdicta  est^:  that  is  to 
say,  "It  is  expedient  or  profitable  to  learn  and  exercise  the 
art  of  geometry,  but  the  damnable  art  mathematical  is 
forbidden."  The  law  meaneth  astrology  and  astronomy, 
which  are  used  well  but  of  a  few  men.  The  astrologer 
is  he  that  knoweth  the  course  and  motions  of  the  heavens, 
and  teacheth  the  same;  which  is  a  virtue,  if  it  pass  not  his 
bounds,  and  become  of  an  astrologer  an  astronomer,  who 
taketh  upon  him  to  give  judgment  and  censure  of  these 
motions  and  course  of  the  heavens ;  what  they  prog- 
nosticate and  destiny  unto  the  creatures  of  the  earth, 
man,  beast,  and  other ;  what  shall  be  the  temperature 
of  the  air,  the  condition  of  the  earth,  the  state  and 
success  of  such  fruit  as  it  bringeth  forth. 

By  this  knowledge  they  fore-speak  of  pestilence  and 
other  diseases,  and  seeth  the  death  of  great  men  to  come, 
and  such  commotions  and  wars,  as  shall  follow  between 
the  princes  of  the  world.  And  thus  they  say,  they  know 
by  the  course  of  the  heavens,  where  as  they  see  the  con- 
junctions of  many  planets  of  rigorous  and  fatal  disposition 
and  quality  concur,  by  reason  of  whose  influence  into  these 
inferior  parts  all  those  calamities  must  happen.  Here  they 
abuse  not  only  the  name  of  God  and  the  natural  dis- 
course of  reason,  which  hath  comprehended  the  motions  and 
course  of  heavens,  but  also  heavens  itself ;  and  attribute 
unto  the  heavens  the  thing  that  only  appertaineth  to 
God :  to  say,  the  health  of  man  and  sickness  of  man,  the 
plenty  of  the  earth  and  scarcity  of  the  same,  the  regi- 
ment of  commonwealths,  and  the  life  and  death  of  the 
governors  thereof. 

Their  knowledge  and  practice  in  these  things  is  no- 
thing at  all.  For  Almighty  God  hath  not  made  the  heavens 
to  that  end  and  purpose,  that  man  should  learn  of  them 
good  fortune  or  ill :  as  it  is  plain.  Gen.  i.  In  the  se-  Gen.  i. 
cond  day  God  made  the  firmament  and  the  superior 
spheres,  which  the  text  calleth  rakiah*,  to  this  end,  that  it 
should  "  separate  the  waters  that  be  under  the  firmament, 
[■*  See  note  1,  p.  330.]  Rakiah,  "jp^p^^  Gen.  i.  6.] 


332  A   DECLARATION   OF   THK    TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

from  those  that  be  above  the  firmament ;  and  God  called 
the  firmament  heaven."  In  the  fourth  day  God  made  the 
sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars,  and  sheweth  to  what  purpose 
and  end  he  made  them ;  the  one  to  have  dominion  in  the 
day,  the  other  in  the  night:  and  God  put  them  in  the 
firmament  of  heaven  to  give  light  unto  the  earth.  Those 
rule  in  the  day  and  night,  and  put  diversity  between  light 
and  darkness;  to  divide  the  year  into  his  parts,  the 
spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter.  They  are  in  signs 
likewise,  saith  the  text,  the  which  the  husbandman,  that 
tilleth  and  soweth  the  ground,  observeth  without  super- 
stition, to  sow  and  reap  his  corn.  He  casteth  it  into  the 
winter,  and  receiveth  it  again  in  the  summer. 

So  doth  the  mariner  mark  the  revolution  of  the 
moon,  his  decrease  and  increase,  whereby  he  knoweth 
the  tides,  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  sea. 

And  the  later  physicians,  Avicenne  and  Averroys', 
hath  likewise  assigned  their  use  in  man's  body.  Therefore 
they  appoint  diversity  of  days  in  the  practice  of  physic, 
one  to  be  more  apt  for  letting  of  blood  than  other, 
to  purge  and  to  balm  than  the  other.  If  they  may  be 
observed  without  superstition,  it  may  be  sufifered  :  so  not- 
withstanding that  such,  as  observe  not  these  latter  rules, 
may  both  minister  and  receive  medicines ;  for  the  heavens 
were  made  to  serve  us,  and  not  to  master  us ;  were 
created  for  man,  and  man  not  for  them.  Therefore  it 
is  a  false  superstition,  to  say  good  or  bad,  plenty  or 
scarcity,  sickness  or  health,  war  or  peace,  depend  eth  of  the 
influence  of  the  heavens :  or  he  that  is  born  under  one 
sign  to  be  more  fortunate  than  he  that  is  born  under  the 
other ;  as  this  Egyptiacal  and  ethnicks'  foolishness  beareth 
men  in  hand.  The  prognostication  of  these  blind  prophets 
is  good  to  be  borne  in  a  man's  bosom,  to  know  the  day 
of  the  month.  The  rest  of  their  practice  is  not  worth  one 
haw,  as  Moses  teacheth,  Deut.  xxviii.  xxix.  xxx.  Levit.  xvi. 
[Lam.  ii.j  Thre.  ii.  Mai.  ii.  ;  where  as  ye  may  see  that  all  these  ills, 
and  many  more  than  the  astronomers  speaketh  of,  cometh 

P  Avicenne,  or  Avicanna,  was  a  celebrated  physician  as  well  as 
philosopher;  his  works  were  translated  into  Latin,  and  printed  at  Venice, 
1564.    Averrois  taught  medicine,  rather  than  practised  it.    See  note  3, 

p.  70.] 


VI.] 


THE   THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


333 


unto  us  for  sin  and  the  transgression  of  God's  command- 
ment. It  is  neither  sun,  neither  moon,  Jupiter  nor  Mars, 
that  is  the  occasion  or  matter  of  wealth  or  woe,  plenty 
or  scarcity,  of  war  or  peace.  Neither  is  the  cause  of 
pestilence  the  putrefaction  of  the  air,  as  Galenus  writeth, 
Lib.  I.  de  diff.  feb.  cap.  5  :  but  the  contempt  of  God's  com- 
mandment is  the  cause,  as  thou  mayest  read  in  the  chapters 
of  the  scripture  a  little  afore  rehearsed :  the  air,  the  water, 
and  the  earth  hath  no  poison  in  themselves  to  hurt  their 
lord  and  master,  man.  But  first  man  poisoneth  himself 
with  sin,  and  then  God  useth  these  elements  ordained  for 
the  life  of  man  to  be  the  occasion  of  his  death. 

Read  the  places  and  know,  that  good  health  is  num- 
bered among  the  blessings  of  God,  and  appertaineth 
unto  those,  that  fear  and  keep  God's  commandments, 
and  not  to  those  that  be  destined  to  live  long  by  the  fa- 
vour and  respects  of  planets.  And  the  ill,  of  what  kind 
soever  it  be,  is  the  malediction  of  God  against  sin.  The 
physicians  say,  that  the  chiefest  remedy  against  pestilence 
is  to  flee  from  the  place  where  the  air  is  corrupt :  God's 
law  saith,  Flee  whither  thou  wilt,  adhwrere  faciei  tibi 
Dominus  pestilentiam,  donee  consumat  te  desuper  facie  terroe, 
Deut.  xxviii. ;  that  is  to  say,  "The  Lord  shall  make  the  Deut.xxviii. 
pestilence  cleave  and  associate  thee,  till  it  consume  thee 
from  the  world."  Again,  in  the  same  chapter,  "  The 
disease  or  sickness  shall  be  faithful,"  that  is  to  say,  stick 
fast  to  thee,  use  what  medicines  thou  wilt. 

Galenus  saith.  Lib.  i.  de  diff.  feb.  cap.  4,  that  the  chief 
remedy  to  preserve  from  pestilence  is  to  purge  the  body  from 
supei-fluous  humours,  to  have  a  free  and  liberal  wind,  and  to 
avoid  the  abundance  of  meat  and  drink.  God  saith,  nothing 
preserveth,  but  the  observation  of  his  commandments.  If  we 
offend,  the  best  remedy  is  penance  and  amendment  of  life. 
It  maketh  no  force,  how  corrupt  the  air  be,  so  the 
conscience  of  man  in  Christ  be  clean  from  sin.  Though  Psai.  xci.  7. 
there  die  a  thousand  of  the  one  side  of  thee,  and  ten 
thousand  on  the  other  side,  thou  shalt  be  safe.  Psal.  xc. 
He  will  let  thee  live,  to  serve  longer  in  the  world  to  the 
glory  of  his  name;  and  if  thou  die,  it  is  because  no 
malice  of  the  world  should  corrupt  thy  life,  and  bring 
thee  from  God ;    further,  to  take  away  the  miseries  of 


S34 


A    DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


this  world.  If  such  as  care  not  for  God  escape  in  the 
time  of  pestilence  or  war,  it  is  to  call  them  unto  a  better 

Rom.  ii.4.  Jife^  Rom.  ii.:  if  they  amend  not,  they  are  reserved  to  a 
greater  pain.  This  is  spoken,  not  as  though  I  contemned 
the  gifts  of  God,  philosophy  and  physic ;  but  to  take  from 
men  all  vain  hope  in  the  artificial  medicines,  and  give  only 
the  glory  unto  the  name  of  God. 

They  abuse  the  name  of  God,  that  perform  not  the 
thing  they  promise  in  God's  name  by  any  oath  or  vow 
made  according  to  the  law  of  God ;  whether  it  be  between 
man  and  God,  as  in  the  holy  sacrament  of  baptism  and 
the  holy  supper  of  the  Lord,  where  as  we  swear  and  pro- 
mise to  live  after  his  will  and  pleasure :  or  when  man  to 
man  bindeth  himself  to  any  conditions  or  promises  by  the 
invocation  of  God's  name,  or  testimony  of  his  own  con- 
science. If  the  one  keep  not  touch  and  promise  with  the 
other,  he  that  offendeth  abuseth  not  only  his  own  faith, 
which  should  be  always  simple  and  true,  but  also  con- 
temneth  the  majesty  and  omnipotency  of  God,  in  whose 
name  the  oath  was  taken. 

And  not  only  the  law  of  God,  but  also  the  law  of  man 
punisheth  this  horrible  perjury,  as  ye  may  read,  Levit.  xxiv., 
how  he  that  took  the  name  of  God  in  vain  was  stoned  to 

Psai.  V.  6.  death.  So  saith  David,  Psal.  v.  So  saith  this  command- 
ment, "  God  will  not  leave  him  unpunished  that  nameth  him 

Acts  v.i.  in  vain."  Example  we  have  in  Ananias  and  his  wife.  Acts  v. 
The  children  of  Israel  were  slain  for  perjury.    Esay  x. 

stiTn*^"""  emperor  Justinian,  Novellis  constihity   77,  com- 

mandeth  to  put  to  death  the  blasphemers. 

Such  as  trust  in  their  own  strength  or  riches  abuse 
and  blaspheme  this  name  of  God :  which  never  was  nor 
never  shall  be  unpunished  in  this  world,  in  the  world  to 

is^i;    1.3:  como,  or  in  both.    Examples  we  have  in  Assur,  Esa.  x., 

Judith  xm.   f-f  ,   „  T    T  1  •• 

8.  Holoiernes,  Judith  xui.     Ajax,  that  said  he  could  over- 

come his  enemies  without  God,  at  length  was  not  overcome 
of  his  enemies,  but  killed  himself. 

Those  that  swear  by  the  name  of  God,  and  likewise  by 
the  name  of  saints,  offend  this  commandment.    As  when 

Deut.  vi.  13.  the  form  of  their  oath  is  thus :  "  As  help  me  God  and  all 

['  Ultimis  subdere  suppliciis.    Corp.  Juris  Civilis,  Tom.  ii.  Auth. 
Collat.  VI.  Tit.  VI.  Novell.  77  cap.  i.] 


THE   THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


335 


saints."  For  the  oath  must  be  only  in  the  name  of  God. 
Deut.  vi.  X.  Josu.  xxiii.  How  this  sin  in  swearing  by  any 
than  God  is  punished,  read  Hiere.  v.,  Soph.  i.  Read  theJ^r^v.7.^ 
seventh  chapter  of  Josua,  and  learn  the  form  of  a  true  oath  [Zepii.  i.  5  ] 
there,  when  he  constrained  Achan  to  confess  the  truth  by 
the  virtue  of  an  oath.  It  is  a  manifest  argument  of  im- 
piety and  false  belief,  when  people  swear  by  any  creatures : 
such  as  give  their  books  a  holy  and  religious  title,  and  the 
contents  thereof  is  none  other  than  the  defence  of  superstition 
and  inquiry  of  vain  glory,  or  his  own  private  commodity, 
abuse  the  name  of  God. 

They  offend  grievously  this  commandment,  that  swear 
without  necessity :  more  grievously,  when  for  every  light 
trifle  or  matter  of  nothing;  most  grievously,  when  men 
swear  to  maintain  a  false  cause,  to  obtain  an  ill  purpose, 
to  oppress  the  truth,  or  to  justify  the  wrong.  The  oath  there- 
fore must  be,  as  Hiere.  saith,  cap.  iv.,  in  verity,  judgment,  jer.  iv.  2. 
and  justice.  There  the  prophet  exhorteth  the  Israelites 
to  reverence  the  name  and  glory  of  God,  and  that  they 
believe  stedfastly  the  universal  providence  of  God,  that 
they  abstain  from  false  oaths  and  perjury.  For  God  seeth 
not  only  the  works  of  man,  but  also  the  words  and  thoughts 
of  the  heart.  Therefore  no  man  should  swear,  except  he 
know  perfectly  the  thing  to  be  true  that  he  sweareth. 

That  is  the  first  thing  that  man  should  have  in  his 
conscience  before  he  swear.  The  second,  that  he  swear 
not  temerously  nor  lightly,  without  reverence  of  God's 
majesty,  but  with  judgment :  that  is  to  say,  when  neces- 
sity constraineth,  for  the  glory  of  God  or  defence  of  virtue, 
at  the  commandment  of  a  just  and  lawful  appointed  judge. 
Thirdly,  that  it  be  in  justice,  that  the  oath  extend  to 
nothing  that  is  against  God's  laws.  If  the  oath  have  not 
these  three  companions,  it  is  perjury,  whatsoever  be  sworn, 
and  blasphemeth  God's  name :  as  all  those  that  swear  to 
please  and  flatter  the  superior  powers,  when  they  make 
ungodly  laws ;  and  those  that  swear  in  the  laws  of  men 
under  the  pretence  of  holy  church,  and  persecute  Christ's 
true  members. 

As  for  those  that  be  common  swearers,  and  be  suffered 
to  blaspheme  without  punishment,  it  is  so  abominable,  that 
the  magistrates,  they  that  swear,  and  all  the  commonwealth 


336  A   DECLARATION   OF    THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


where  as  they  dwell,  shall  at  length  smart  for  it.  Regulus, 
the  Roman,  and  the  Saguntines,  shameth  christian  men,  that 
would  not  for  any  pain  or  punishment  of  the  world  violate 
or  break  their  oath  made  by  their  false  gods.  Of  whom 
writeth  Saint  Augustine  \  lihro  De  cwitate  Dei,  xxii.  cap.  6, 
Hb.  I.  cap.  15,  Cicero^  lib.  iii.  Be  Officiis.  Valerius^  lib.  ix. 
The  Saguntines  burned  themselves  ;  Eegulus  returned  from 
his  native  country  and  city  of  Rome  to  his  most  cruel 
enemies  in  Africa,  and  would  rather  suffer  the  extreme 
tyranny  of  his  enemies  than  violate  or  break  his  oath  that 
he  had  sworn. 

{}  Unde  merito  queeritiir,  utrum  recte  fecerint  Saguntini,  quando 
universam  suam  civitatem  interire  maluerunt,  quam  fidem  frangere,  qua 
cum  ipsa  Romana  republica  tenebantur  :  in  quo  suo  facto  laudantur  ab 
omnibus  terrense  reipublicae  civibus.  Aug.  Op.  Basil.  1542.  Tom.  v. 
col.  1337.  De  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  xxii.  cap.  6.  Habent  tamen  isti  de  captivitate 
religionis  causa  etiam  sponte  toleranda,  et  in  praeclaris  viris  nobilissimum 
exemplum.  Marc.  Attilius  Regulus  *  *  *  *  *  Nec  *  *  *  *  ad  hostes 
redire  compulsus  est;  sed  quod  juraverat,  id  sponte  implevit.  At  illi 
eum  excogitatis  atque  horrendis  cruciatibus  necaverunt.  Aug.  Op.  Basil. 
1542.  Tom.  v.  col.  58.  De  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  i.  cap.  15.] 

P  Neque  vero  tum  ignorabat  se  ad  crudelissimum  hostem  et  ad  ex- 
quisita  supplicia  proficisci:  sed  jusjurandum  conservandum  putabat. 
Cic.  de  Off.  Lib.  iii.  c.  27.] 

P  Valer.  Max.  Lib.  vi.  De  fide  publica.  Cap.  vi.  Externa  1.] 


VII.] 


THE   FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


337 


CAPUT  VII. 

THE   FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Bememher  to  sanctify  the  sabbath  day.  Six  days  thou  shalt 
labour,  and  do  all  thy  worJcs.  The  seventh  day  is  rest 
unto  God  thy  Lord,  thou  shalt  do  no  work  in  it ;  nei- 
ther thy  son,  neither  thy  daughter,  thy  servant,  nor  thy 
maid,  neither  thy  beast,  neither  the  stranger  that  is  within 
thy  doors.  For  in  six  days  God  made  heaven  and  earth, 
the  sea  and  all  things  that  is  therein,  and  the  seventh 
day  rested.  Therefore  blessed  God  the  seventh  day,  and 
sanctified  it. 

The  cause  and  end  why  this  commandment  was  insti- Theendwhy 
tuted  is  divers.    First,  because  man  should  upon  this  day  mandment 

•  -^g^g  insti- 

call  his  intendment  and  thoughts  from  the  lusts,  pleasures,  tuted. 
vanities,  and  concupiscence  of  the  world,  unto  the  medi- 
tations of  Ood  and  his  works,  to  the  study  of  scripture, 
hearing  of  the  word  of  God ;  to  call  upon  God  with  ardent 
prayer,  to  use  and  exercise  the  sacraments  of  God,  to 
confer  and  give,  according  to  his  ability,  almose  to  the  com- 
forting of  the  poor. 

Then  likewise  God  by  this  commandment  provideth  for 
the  temporal  and  civil  life  of  man,  and  likewise  for  all 
things  that  be  necessary  and  expedient  for  man  in  this 
life.  If  man,  and  beast  that  is  man's  servant,  should  with- 
out repose  and  rest  always  labour,  they  might  never  en- 
dure the  travail  of  the  earth.  God  therefore,  as  he  that 
intendeth  the  conservation  and  wealth  of  man  and  the  thing 
created  to  man's  use,  commandeth  this  rest  and  repose 
from  labour,  that  his  creatures  may  endure  and  serve  as 
well  their  own  necessary  affairs  and  business,  as  preserve 
the  youth  and  offspring*  of  man  and  beast,  till  it  come  to 
a  sufficient  age  and  convenient  force  to  supply  the  place 
and  room  of  such,  as  death  or  disease  shall  private  or  dis- 
able from  the  execution  and  use  of  such  travails  as  this 
careful  life  shall  necessarily  require.  So  saith  Ovid,  Quod 
caret  alterna  requie,  dmabile  non  est ;  that  is  to  say,  "  The 
thing  cannot  endure  that  lacketh  rest." 

OflFspring,  C,  offrynge,  A  and  B.] 
r  1  22 

[HOOPER.J 


338  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

That  man  and  beast  therefore  might  breathe  and  have 
repose,  this  sabbath  was  instituted,  not  only  that  the  body 
should  be  restored  unto  strength,  and  made  able  to  sus- 
tain the  travails  of  the  week  to  come ;  but  also  that  the 
soul  and  spirit  of  man,  whiles  the  body  is  at  rest,  might 
upon  the  sabbath  learn  and  know  so  the  blessed  will  of 
his  Maker,  that  only  it  leave  not  from  the  labour  and 
adversity  of  sin,  but  also  by  God's  grace  receive  such  strength 
and  force  in  the  contemplation  of  God's  most  merciful  pro- 
mise, that  it  may  be  able  to  sustain  all  the  troubles  of 
temptation  in  the  week  that  foUoweth.  For  as  the  body, 
being  always  oppressed  with  labour,  loseth  his  strength, 
and  so  perisheth;  so  doth  the  mind  of  man,  oppressed 
with  the  cares  and  pleasures  of  this  world,  lose  all  her 
force,  lust,  and  desire,  that  she  had  to  the  rest  to  come 
of  eternal  hfe,  and  so  dieth  not  only  the  death  of  sin,  but 
hasteth,  what  she  can,  to  hate  and  abhor  all  virtue. 

Almighty  God  therefore,  not  only  in  his  command- 
ments, but  also  at  the  first  creation  of  the  world,  sancti- 

Gen.  ii.  3.  fied  the  seventh  day.  Gen.  ii. :  that  is  to  say,  appointed  it 
to  an  holy  use,  or  separated  it  from  other  days,  wherein 
men  travail  in  the  business  of  this  world.  So  is  the  mean- 
ing of  this  Hebrew  phrase,  or  manner  of  speech  :  as  ye  may 

Josh.  XX.  7.  read,  Joshua  xx.  chapter.  Sanctificaverunt  Kades  in  Galilea, 
that  is  to  say,  "  They  sanctified  Kades  in  Galilea."  It 
is  as  much  to  say  in  English,  they  chose  or  appointed 
the  city  of  Kades  to  be  a  refuge  or  sanctuary  for  mur- 
derers, to  be  safe  there  till  the  cause  of  the  murderer 
might  be  known.  Howbeit,  ye  may  not  think  that  God 
gave  any  more  holiness  to  the  sabbath  than  to  the  other 
days  :  for  if  ye  consider  Friday  and  Saturday,  Saturday 
or  Sunday,  inasmuch  as  they  be  days  and  the  work  of 

Cod.  lib.  iii.  God,  the  one  is  no  more  holy  than  the  other.  Cod.  lib.  iii. 

Feriis.'*^^  tit.  12.  de  Fcriis.  But  that  day  is  always  most  holy  in 
the  which  we  most  apply  and  give  ourselves  unto  holy  works. 
To  that  end  he  sanctified  the  sabbath  day  :  not  that  we 
should  give  ourselves  to  illness,  or  such  ethnical  pastime,  as 
is  now  used  among  christian  people '  ;  but,  being  free  that 

['  Omnes  judices,  iirbanaeque  plebes,  et  cunctarum  artmm  officia  vene- 
rabili  die  Solis  quiescant.  Corp.  Jur.  civ.  Cod.  Lib.  iii.  Tit.  12.  cap.  -3. 
De  die  Dominico.    Dies  festos,  majestati  altissimse  dedicatos,  millis  volu- 


vu.] 


THE   FOHRTH  COMMANDMENT. 


3.39 


day  from  the  travails  of  this  world,  we  might  consider  the 
works  and  benefits  of  God  with  thanksgiving ;  hear  the 
word  and  law  of  God,  honour  him  and  fear  him ;  then  to 
learn  who  and  where  be  the  poor  of  Christ,  our  brothers  in 
necessity,  that  wanteth  our  help.    The  observation  therefore  How  far  the 
of  the  sabbath  doth  extend  as  well  unto  the  faith  we  have  of  the  sab- 
in  God,  as  unto  the  charity  of  our  neighbour ;  and  not  only  teiuieth" 
that,  but  also  unto  the  beasts  that  travail  in  our  business 
and  be  our  necessary  servants,  the  which  we  should  in  no 
wise  abuse,  not  only  for  their  labour  s  sake,  but  also  for 
the  love  of  him  that  hath  commended  them  unto  our 
service.  Almighty  God. 

Thirdly,  the  sabbath  hitherunto  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world  was  and  is  a  type  and  figure  of  the  eternal  and 
everlasting  rest  that  is  to  come ;  as  St  Paul  diligently 
sheweth  in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  cap.  iv.  :  so  doth  Heb.  iy.  s. 
Saint  Augustine ^  Lib.  xi.  cap.  31.  De  cwit.  Such  as  Dei.  iih.'xi. 
believed  the  promise  of  God  declared  by  Moses,  were  led 
by  Josuah  the  prince  into  Palestina,  and  rested  in  Cha- 
naan :  such  as  hear  the  word  of  God  and  obeyeth  it, 
shall  be  carried  into  the  celestial  heavens  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  rest  in^  eternal  joy.  Read  diligently  that  chapter, 
and  thou  shalt  find  a  very  necessary  doctrine,  what  is 
the  cause  that  the  most  part  of  men  enter  not  into  this 
eternal  rest ;  the  contempt  of  our  captain's  words,  Jesu 
Christ,  who  would  lead  us  thither,  haled  we  not  back,  and 
left  not  his  commandments. 

Consider  the  persons  rehearsed  in  this  commandment :  The  persons 
"  Thy  son,  thy  daughter,  thy  man-servant,  and  thy  woman-  In  thls^com- 
servant,  thy  beast,  and  the  stranger  within  thy  doors."  ™^"'*™^"'- 
Those  thou  must  not  without  necessity  constrain  to  any 
servile  work  upon  the  sabbath ;  but  see  that  they  exer- 
cise themselves  upon  the  sabbath  in  hearing  the  word  of 
God ;  and  see  they  frequent  the  place  of  common  prayers, 

mus  voluptatibus  occupari,  nec  uUis  exactionum  vexationibus  profanari. 
Doniinicum  itaque  Diem  ita  semper  honorabilem  deceinimus,  at  veneran- 
dum  ut,  &c.  Nec  hujus  tamen  religiosi  diei  otia  relaxantes,  obsccenis 
quemquam  patimur  voluptatibus  detineri.    Ibid.  cap.  11.'] 

P  De  die  septimo,  in  quo  plenitude  et  requies  commendatur.  Aug. 
Op.  Par.  1432,  Tom.  v.  col.  656.] 

P  In,  A,  into,  B  and  C] 


340  A    DECLARATION   OF   THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  use  the  sacraments,  as  God  commandeth.  For  those 
God  hath  commanded  unto  thy  charge,  as  long  as  they 
be  with  thee;  not  only  that  thou  give  them  their  wages 
that  is  due,  but  also  see  them  aright  instructed  in  the 
law  of  God,  and  live  thereafter.  For  if  they  perish  by 
thy  negligence,  their  blood  shall  be  required  at  thy  hand. 

The  stranger  likewise  within  thy  port',  though  he  be  of 
another  religion,  thou  shouldest  assay  to  win  him  unto  the 
knowledge  and  rites  of  thy  religion,  as  thou  seest  here 
commanded  unto  the  Israelites,  and  consequently  unto  us 
all.  For  we  are  bound  no  less,  but  rather  more  than  they, 
to  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbour,  and  by  express  words 
James  v.  19.  commanded  to  do  the  same.  Matt.  xxii.  Jac  v.  Here  let 
demned*in"'  "®      ^^J  ^^3^'  "  We  have  offended,"  and 

this  com-    study  to  amend :  for  there  is  here  condemned  the  avarice 

mandment.  J 

of  all  men,  that  care  not  for  God  nor  his  law  a  deal,  but 
useth  ungodly  and  uncharitably  their  servants  and  beasts, 
as  though  they  were  made  only  of  God  to  serve  his  ava- 
ricious appetites,  and  not  rather  to  serve  the  necessaries 
of  their  masters,  and  likewise  to  glorify  God,  as  his  word 
commandeth. 

Likewise  in  this  commandment  is  condemned  our  un- 
charitable behaviour  towards  our  neighbour,  and  likewise 
the  ungodly  and  carnal  fear  that  we  have  to  teach  a  stran- 
ger the  knowledge  of  God.  We  give  him  the  thing  we 
owe  him  not,  saving  by  the  law  of  nature,  and  the  thing 
that  he  may  well  lack,  or  else  obtain  of  another,  a  supper 
or  dinner  for  his  money,  or  love ;  and  never  make  mention 
of  the  thing  we  owe  him,  inasmuch  as  we  be  Christians. 
Thus  can  Aristotle  entreat  his  guests,  and  Plato  give  his 
alms.  Our  office  is  to  communicate  the  knowledge  of  God 
with  him,  so^  to  move  a  communication,  that  the  one  might 
know  the  other's  faith.  But  this  charity  and  hospitality 
is  used  but  of  few  men.  In  case  a  man  should  make 
mention  of  any  such  almose,  or  entreat  any  place  of  the 
scripture  at  dinner  or  supper,  it  were  a  cloying  of  the  sto- 
mach and  taking  away  of  the  appetite ;  an  ill-savoured 
mess,  and  the  worst  dish  that  can  be  brought  to  the  table. 
Men  say,  that  folk  should  be  merry  at  the  table,  and  let 
the  preacher  talk  of  scripture ;  as  though  the  law  of  God 
[1  Port :  gate.]  p  So,  A,  for,  B  and  C] 


VII.] 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


341 


made  men  sorry,  which  containeth  not  only  the  solace  and 
joy  of  man  in  this  world,  but  also  in  time  to  come  for 
ever.  God  take  out  of  the  hearts  of  men  all  fear  and  shame, 
that  we  freely  confess  him,  as  occasion  shall  be  given,  with 
Loth,  Gen.  xix.  cap.,  that  sat  in  the  gates  of  Sodoma  toGen.xix.  i. 
invitate  the  strangers  that  came  to  the  city  into  his  own 
house,  to  keep  them  in  virtue,  and  preserve  them  from  vice. 
Read  the  chapter,  and  see  wherein  consisteth  true  hospi- 
tality. 

Further,  thou  seest  by  this  commandment,  that  the  strangers 
Israelites  might  constrain  the  strangers  within  their  city  ^gifjP^^ 
to  hear  and  see  their  religion  upon  the  sabbath :  as  every 
well-ordered  commonwealth  now  in  the  time  of  the  gospel 
should  do  the  same,  and  constrain  all  people  to  hear  the 
word  of  God,  and  see  the  ministration  of  their  sacraments. 
This  day  is  appointed  also  for  man  to  consider  and  ex- 
pound the  works  of  God,  the  which  he  made  in  six  days. 
For  the  least  creature  that  God  made  shall  teach  man  a 
knowledge  of  the  Creator,  if  it  be  considered  accordingly. 
So  that  man  should  not  only  use  them,  but  also  give  God 
thanks  for  them,  to  augment  faith,  to  roborate^  hope,  and 
provoke  love.  Therefore  God  blessed  the  sabbath,  to  say, 
made  it  honourable,  sanctified  it,  appointed  it  to  an  holy  use, 
gave  it  certain  privileges,  and  would  men  to  be  that  day  holy. 

For  as  he  hath  appointed  six  days  for  us  to  ex- 
ercise ourselves  in  the  business  and  travails  of  the  world ; 
so  hath  he  appointed  the  seventh  to  exercise  the  cere- 
monies of  the  church,  which  are  instituted  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  ministry  of  the  church :  as  to  use  common 
prayer,  hear  the  sermon,  use  the  blessed  supper  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  srive  alms.     1  Cor,  xi.  xiv.  and  xvi.    Althouarh  the  ipor  xi.n. 

o  ..  .      XIV.  23.  and 

ceremony  of  the  sabbath  be  taken  away,  Col.  ii.  which  2. 
appertained  only  unto  the  people  and  commonwealth  of  the 
Hebrews ;  yet  one  day  of  the  week  to  preserve  and  use 
the  word  of  God  and  his  sacraments  is  not  abrogated. 

Therefore  in  this  commandment  are  two  things  to  be  Two  things 

o  are  in  this 

observed,  the  one  ceremonial,  during  for  the  time  ;   the  ™™™  ^"^^ 
other  moral  and  never  to  be  abolished,  as  long  as  the  noted- 
church  of  Christ  shall    continue    upon  the  earth.  The 
patriarchs  before  the  law.  Gen.  ii.,  the  prophets  in  the  Gen.  ii.  a. 
Roborate :  corroborat,  A,  roborat,  B,  confirm,  C] 


342  A    DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [CH. 

Exod.xx.io.  time  of  the  law,  Exod.  xx.  Deut.  v.,  we  being  delivered  from 

icor.xvi.2.  the  damnation  of  the  law,  1  Cor.  xvi.,  have  one  day  to  rest 
from  labour,  and  to  apply  ourselves  to  the  works  of  the 
Spirit ;  which  secretly  in  ourselves  should  be  done  every  day, 
with  our  handy  labour ;  upon  the  Sunday  openly  without 
the  labour  of  our  hands. 

Sunday  not        This  Sunday  that  we  observe  is  not  the  commandment 

of  man.  ^  of  man,  as  many  say,  that  would,  under  the  pretence  of 
this  one  law,  bind  the  church  of  Christ  to  all  other  laws 
that  men  hath  ungodly  prescribed  unto  the  church ;  but 
it  is  by  express  words  commanded,  that  we  should  ob- 
serve this    day    (the   Sunday)   for   our  sabbath,  as  the 

1  Cor.  xvi.  2.  words  of  Saint  Paul  declareth,  1  Cor.  xvi.,  commanding 
every  man  to  appoint  his  alms  for  the  poor  in  the  Sunday. 
The  text  saith,  "in  one  of  the  sabbath."  It  is  an  He- 
brew phrase,  and  is  as  much  to  say  as,   "  in  the  Sun- 

Lukexxiv.i.  day  as  ye  jnay  read  the  same  manner  of  speech,  Luke 
xxiv.  and  John  xx.,  of  the  women  that  came  to  the  se- 
pulchre to  anoint  the  dead  body  of  Christ.  Luke  saith, 
"  In  one  of  the  sabbaths  early  they  came  to  the  se- 
pulchre and  so  saith  John  by  the  same  words :  the 
which  was  the  Sunday,  as  no  man  doubteth.  For  it  is 
our  faith  that  Christ  rose  the  third  day.    So  may  ye 

Gen.  i.  5.  read.  Gen.  i.,  where  the  text  saith,  "  It  was  evening  and 
it  was  morning  one  day that  is  to  say,  the  first  day, 
which  we  call  the  Sunday.  And  thus  also  saith  those 
that  were  best  learned  in  the  tongues  among  christian 
writers:  John  Chrysostom\  Lactantius^,  and  Erasmus 

For  the  preservation  of  the  true  meaning  of  the  word 
of  God,  and  right  use  of  his  blessed  sacraments,  he  hath 
given  unto  the  church  apostles,  prophets,  pastors,  doctors, 

Eph.  iv.  11.  and  other,  Eph.  iv.,  that  should  teach  us  the  scripture  and 
writings  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  which  was  declared 
to  be  true  with  many  signs  and  tokens  :  that  we  should 
not  waver  with  every  wind,  and  be  carried  into  errors  by 

[1  MiW  a-al3^aT(ov  Trjv  KvpiaKr/v  eKaXetre.      Chrysost.  Op.  Paris.  1835. 
Tom.  III.  p.  302.] 

See  Lactantii  Op.  Basiliae,  1532.  De  vera  Sapientia,  Lib.  iv.  cap. 
xix.  fo.  60.] 

Cur  igitur  septimus  dies  versus  est  nobis  in  octavum  ?  &c. 
Erasmi  Opera,  Lugduni  Bat.  1704.  Tom.  v.  co.  1190.] 


VII.]  THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT.  343 

the  doctrine  of  man :  that  we  should  not  feign  new  doc- 
trine out  of  our  own  brains,  but  believe  as  the  holy  church 
of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  Christ,  and  the  apostles;  which 
taught  the  people  as  they  wrote,  and  wrote  as  they  taught; 
that  no  man  after  their  death  should  deceive  the  people, 
that  Christ  redeemed  with  his  precious  blood,  with  false 
and  imposterous  doctrine.  Those  ethnick  and  Jewish  doc- 
tors of  the  pope,  howsoever  they  brag  of  the  name  of 
holy  church,  be  none  other  than  the  defenders  of  the 
synagogue  of  antichrist. 

Sure  we  be  that  Christ,  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and 
apostles,  be  saved,  and  believed  no  more,  nor  none  other- 
wise, than  they  have  left  unto  us  by  writings.  Better  it  is 
to  be  certain  of  our  doctrine  and  salvation  with  this  holy 
church,  than  to  associate  ourselves  with  the  rabble  of  liars, 
that  boasteth  and  braggeth  their  abominable  and  ethnical 
ceremonies,  which  be  condemned  in  the  scripture,  to  be 
laws  for  the  holy  church.  God  give  thee  grace  to  read  the 
holy  bible,  and  to  have  a  little  understanding  of  it  ! 
Then  shalt  thou  see,  who  and  where  is  the  holy  church, 
that  these  dreamers  attribute  unto  their  father  the  devil 
and  antichrist  of  Rome.  And  if  they  say  unto  thee,  that 
thou  must  not  take  the  text  after  thy  own  mind,  but  after 
the  mind  of  the  holy  doctors,  that  hath  written  in  the 
scripture ;  think  with  thyself,  that  God  hath  given  thee 
the  scripture  to  read  therein  to  thy  salvation,  as  well  as 
unto  the  doctor. 

Further,  that  thy  doctor  preach  not  a  lie  for  the 
truth,  God  hath  given  thee  the  scripture  to  judge  thy 
bishop,  doctor,  preacher,  and  curate,  whether  he  preach 
gall  or  honey,  his  own  laws  or  God's  laws. 

Further,  say  boldly  and  fear  not,  (for  it  is  true,)  that 
in  matters  and  causes  of  weight  the  doctors  agree  not 
one  with  the  other,  no,  many  times  not  with  themselves ; 
as  every  man  knoweth,  that  hath  read  them  with  judgment. 
And  as  good  arguments  shalt  thou  find  in  them  to  dis- 
prove, as  to  prove  the  things,  that  this  late-found  ca- 
tholic church  of  the  devil  would  stablish. 

Again,  think  which  was  the  most  pure  church  and 
free  from  heresies :  the  church  before  the  doctors  wrote, 
that  only  was  taught  by  the  simple  text  and  words  of  the 


344  A  DECLARATION  OP   THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

apostles,  or  the  church  that  hath  been  taught  this  many 
years  by  the  blind  doctrine  of  men?  Then  thou  shalt 
see,  that  those  doctors  that  they  speak  of  hath  put 
out  God's  laws  and  brought  in  their  own,  as  the  Pha- 
risees and  rabbins  did  in  the  old  church.  Be  not  afraid 
of  their  holy  name,  but  trust  to  the  holiness  of  scripture: 
then  shalt  thou  not  be  deceived.  They  say,  the  holy 
church  must  be  heard  and  obeyed.  True  it  is:  but  our 
faith  is  not  grounded  upon  those  that  be  of  the  church, 
though  they  be  the  true  ministers  of  God's  word;  but 
Matt.  xvi.  upon  the  word  itself,  as  it  appeareth.  Matt.  xvi.  There- 
fore, when  the  authority  or  testimony  of  the  church  is 
alleged,  man  that  loveth  his  salvation  must  search  where 
and  what  the  church  is,  what  times  and  when  the  writers 
were  most  sincere;  and  not  believe  these  yesterday's  birds, 
that  sing  as  the  papegay',  they  know  not  what,  as  they 
be  taught  out  of  a  shameless  school,  that  began  with 
murder,  is  maintained  with  sacrilege,  and  shall  be  destroyed 
with  the  clarity^  and  brightness  of  the  Son  of  man  com- 
ing to  judgment. 

It  appertaineth  unto  no  man,  in  what  authority  soever 
he  be,  to  judge  who  preacheth  false,  or  who  true ;  but  unto 
the  word  of  God  only,  which  interpretateth  itself,  when 
it  is  with  judgment  conferred.  But  of  this  is  required 
a  more  prolix  work,  which  God  shall  give  in  time. 

Now  the  works  of  this  precept  be  also  these :  godly 
to  preach  his  word,  and  to  use  the  sacraments  as  he 
teacheth  in  his  word,  to  hear  them  reverently  that  truly 
preacheth,  to  honour  the  word  of  God,  and  help  to  the 
preferment  thereof  as  much  as  may  be,  to  succour  the  pro- 
fessors thereof,  which  be,  hath  been,  and  ever  shall  be  (if 
they  preach  truly)  in  the  most  miserable  condition  of  the 
Matt.  X.  22.  world.  Matt.  x.  Luke  xxi.  Mar.  xiii.  Joh.  xv.  xvi.  To 
neglect  the  preaching  of  God's  word,  as  these  do  that 
look  for  the  fleece  and  care  not  for  the  sheep,  [is  a  work 
against  this  commandment.]  ^ 

To  abolish  the  preaching  of  the  word,  as  those  do  that 
hath  brought  into  the  church  massing  and  mumbling  of 

[}  Papegay,  A  and  B,  popingay,  C.    A  parrot.] 
p  Clertye,  A  and  B,  cleernesse,  C] 
P  Added  from  C] 


VII.]]  THE   FOURTH   COMMANDMENT.  345 

canonical  hours  (as  they  call  them),  which  neither  they 
that  say  them,  neither  those  that  hear  them,  understandeth 
not,  [is  a  work  also  against  this  commandment.]*  They  say, 
God  understandeth  them :  what  then  ?  So  he  under- 
standeth likewise  the  cuckoo  and  the  lowing  of  the  cow, 
which  is  as  good  and  better  praise  unto  God  than  the  su- 
perstitious and  unknown  prayer  that  thou  mumblest.  For 
they  use  the  gift  that  God  hath  given  them,  to  sound 
an  unknown  voice :  and  thou  abusest  the  gift  of  God, 
which  gave  thee  a  tongue,  to  edify  thyself  and  thy 
neighbour,  likewise  to  preach  the  Lord  omnipotent ;  but 
thou  raakest  thy  tongue  an  instrument  to  speak  thou 
wottest  not  what.  When  thou  shouldest  cry  for  mercy 
and  say,  Sana  animam  meam  quia  peccavi  tibi,  that  is 
to  say,  "  Lord  heal  my  soul,  for  I  have  offended  thee ; 
thou  sayest,  Custodivi  mas  Domini,  nec  impie  gessi  a  Deo 
meo,  that  is  to  say,  "  I  have  kept  the  ways  of  the  Lord, 
and  have  not  departed  by  iniquity  from  my  God." 
Thus  the  Psalms  and  books  of  the  scripture  thou  readest 
without  judgment,  and  knowest  not  what  psalm  is  meet 
for  thy  necessity  and  state  of  the  people  that  be  present, 
no  more  than  he  that  never  saw  the  scripture.  Yea, 
sometime  thou  readest  a  false  history,  and  either  thou 
attributest  the  honour  due  to  God  unto  the  saint  thou 
worshippest,  or  honourest  him  in  the  earth,  whose  soul, 
peradventure,  is  in  hell.  For  Augustine^  so  saith,  that  all 
be  not  glorified  souls  with  God,  whose  relics  men  wor- 
ship in  the  earth. 

To  teach  false  doctrine,  is  a  work  against  this  com- 
mandment. Likewise  to  depravate  the  use  of  the  sacra- 
ments otherwise  than  they  be  taught  in  the  scripture,  is 
against  this  commandment ;  to  use  them  to  another  end 
than  they  were  instituted ;  to  honour  them,  as  they  do 
that  enchant  the  water  of  the  font,  and  chafe  it  with  many 
a  suspire^  and  deep-fet  breath ;  such  as  honour  the  bread 

[*  Added  from  C] 

\^  The  exact  words  have  not  been  found  in  Augustine  as  here  quoted. 
In  the  book  De  opere  Monachorum,  Cap.  xxviii,  this  expression  occurs : 
Alii  membra  martyrum,  si  tamen  martyrum,  venditant.  Aug.  Op. 
Basilife,  1542.  Tom.  iii.  col.  800.] 

Suspire:  suspiriutn,  sigh,  fetching  breath.  "  Tunc  sufflet  ter  in  aquam 
versus  tres  partes,  etc."    Rituale  Romanum,  De  sacramento  Baptismi.'] 


346  A   DECLARATION    OF   THE    TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


and  wine,  which  the  scripture  doth  not  only  teach  to  re- 
main in  their  substantial  essence  and  nature  without  chang- 
ing, but  also  the  reason  and  all  the  wits  of  man.  Further, 
the  beasts  of  the  earth,  fowls  of  the  air,  and  fishes  of  the 
water,  knoweth  there  is  no  change  of  bread  nor  wine,  and 
beareth  record  that  the  scripture  is  true ;  bread  to  remain 
bread,  and  wine  wine.     1  Cor.  x.  xi. 

Further,  to  augment  the  ceremonies  of  the  church,  and 
bring  in  a  new  Judaism  and  Aaronical  rites,  is  against  this 
commandment.  As  the  bishops  hath  used  the  matter, 
there  be  more  ceremonies  in  the  church  of  Christ  than 
were  in  the  church  of  the  Jews;  as  it  shall  easily  appear 
to  him  that  will  confer  our  church  with  the  books  of 
Contra      Moses.    Seneca',  in  his  book  contra  super stitiones,  repre- 

supersti-  1  •  L 

tiones.  hended  the  rites  of  the  Jews,  and  chiefly  the  sanctifying 
of  the  sabbath.  What  would  he  say,  if  he  saw  our  churches, 
that  have  not  the  ceremonies  commanded  by  God,  but  by 
man  to  the  dishonouring  of  God  1 

To  neglect  a  charitable  deed  to  our  neighbour  upofi 

Matt.  xii.  12.  the  sabbath  day,  is  to  break  the  sabbath,  Matt,  xii.,  Luke 

Lukevi.  9   •'  «  -n  i 

VI.  xni.  :  not  to  cease  irom  doing  oi  ill,  but  to  abuse  the 
rest  and  ease  of  the  sabbath  in  sports,  games,  and  pas- 
times, keeping  of  markets  and  fairs  upon  the  sabbath,  is 

P  Quid  de  Judseis  Seneca  senserit.    Cap.  xi. 

Hie  inter  alias  civilis  theologife  superstitiones  reprehendit  etiam 
sacramenta  Judaeorum,  et  maxime  Sabbata,  inutiliter  id  eos  facere 
affirmans,  quod  per  illos  singulos  septem  interpositos  dies  septimam 
fere  partem  setatis  suae  perdant  vacando,  et  multa  in  tempore  urgentia 
non  agendo  lasdantur.  August.  Op.  Tom.  v.  De  Civ.  Dei,  Lib.  vi. 
Cap.  xi. 

From  the  preceding  chapter  it  appears  that  Augustine  is  quoting 
from  "eo  libro  quem  contra  superstitiones  condidit,"  and  Hooper  pro- 
bably derived  his  knowledge  of  this  opinion  of  Seneca's  from  Augustine ; 
for,  as  Ludovicus  Vives  mentions,  "  Libri  Senecae  nonnulli  sunt  amissi,  ut 
hi  de  superstitkmibus,  S^c."  The  following  passage  occurs  in  another 
part  of  Seneca's  writings.  Accendere  aliquem  lucernas  sabbatis  pro- 
hibeamus,  quoniam  nec  lumine  Dii  egent,  et  ne  homines  quidem  delec- 
tantur  fuligine.  Vetemus  salutationibus  matutinis  fungi,  et  foribus 
assidere  templorum  :  humana  ambitio  istis  officiis  capitur  ;  Deum  colit 
qui  novit.  Vetemus  lintea  et  strigiles  Jovi  ferri,  et  speculum  tenerse 
Junoni.  Non  quaerit  ministros  Deus.  Quidni?  Ipse  humano  generi 
ministrat.  Ubique  et  omnibus  praesto  est.  Sen.  Op.  Lib.  xv.  Epist.  96, 
p.  216.    Basil.  1529.] 


VII.] 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


347 


to  abuse  the  sabbath.  It  is  as  much  as  to  fery~  unto 
God,  and  work  to  the  devil ;  for  specially  all  unlawful 
plays  and  sports  be  used  upon  that  day. 

It  is  against  this  commandment  to  keep  or  dedicate 
any  feast  to  any  saint,  of  what  holiness  soever  he  be. 
Therefore  saith  the  law,  "  Ye  shall  celebrate  the  feast 
unto  the  Lord."  Exod.  xxiii.  This  honour  should  be  Exod.  xxiii. 
given  only  unto  God.  In  the  old  testament  was  no  feast 
ever  dedicated  unto  any  saint,  neither  in  the  new.  It  hap- 
pened after  the  death  of  the  apostles,  as  it  is  written  in 
Euseb'^  Eccles.  Hist.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  15.    And  better  autho- ecci.  Hist 

^  hb.  IV.  c.  15. 

rity  have  they  not,  that  be  the  authors  of  these  holy  days, 

the  which  the  council  of  Lugd.  hath  given  us  :  they  have 

not  above  two  hundred  and  seventy-three  years  in  age,  and 

is  the  leaven  of  the  pope.    In  Trip.  Hist.  Lib.  ix.,  cap.  38,  L^b.  ix.  cap. 

there  is  no  mention  of  saints'  holy  days;  few  of  St  Hier.'  Jerome i. 

4  C3.  8.(1 

I.  4,  cap.  ad  Galat.,  and  likewise  of  St  Augustine^  ad  Janu.  daiat. 
cxviii.  Epi.    The  Sunday  and  the  hours  thereof  appointed  nu.°cxviii. 
for  a  decent  order,  to  preach  the  word  of  God,  use  the 

P  Fery,  A  and  B,  ferrie,  C.    To  keep  a  feast  or  holiday.] 

\J  After  relating  the  death  of  Polycarp  by  martyrdom,  and  the  burn- 
ing of  his  remains  to  ashes,  Eusebius  says,  ovtois  re  i^fifls  vaTepov  dveXo- 
Hevoi  TO.  Tifxicorepa  \ida>v  Tro\vTekS>v  Kai  boKijxcoTepa  VTrep  ^(^pvcriov  otrra. 
avTov,  a.m6€jx(6a  otvov  kw.  anokovOov  rjv.  ev6a  as  Svvarov  rjjj.1v  (Tvva- 
yojievois  iv  dyaXXtatrei  Kai  X"P">  Tape^et  6  Kvpios  iiriTiKsiv  rrjv  rov 
jiapTvpLov  avTov  rjjx^pav  yeveffXiov,  fis  re  t5>v  TrpoijdXrjKOTmv  jivijfiijv,  kol 
t5>v  neWovrav  uaicrjaiv  re  Koi  iroijiaa-iav,  &c.  Euseb.  Eccles.  Hist. 
Moguntise,  1672.    Lib.  iv.  Cap.  xv.  p.  135.] 

^  Dicat  aliquis,  Si  dies  observare  non  licet,  et  menses  et  tempora 
et  annos,  nos  quoque  simile  crimen  incurrimus  quartam  sabbati  obser- 
vantes,  et  para,sceven,  et  diem  dominicam,  et  jejunium  quadragesimse, 
et  paschae  festivitatem,  et  pentecostes  laetitiam,  et  pro  varietate  regionum 
diversa  in  honore  martyrum  tempora  constituta.*  *  *  *  *  Quotus  enim 
quisque  est,  qui  saltern  hcec  pauca  quee  statuta  sunt,  vel  orandi  tempora 
vel  jejunandi  ?    Hieron.  Op.  Basiliee,  1519.  Tom.  ix.  fol.  90.] 

P  Ilia  autem  quae  non  scripta  sed  tradita  custodimus,  quas  quidem 
toto  terrarum  orbe  observantur,  dantur  intelligi  vel  ab  ipsis  Apostolis 
vel  plenariis  conciliis,  quoi'um  est  in  ecclesia  saluberrima  auctoritas, 
commendata  atque  statuta  retineri;  sicuti  quod  Domini  passio  et  resur- 
rectio  et  ascensio  in  coelum,  et  adventus  de  coelo  Spiritus  Sancti,  anni- 
versaria  solennitate  celebrantur :  et  si  quid  aliud  tale  occurrerit,  quod 
servatur  ab  universa  quacunque  se  diflfundit  ecclesia.  There  is  in  a 
marginal  note  "festa  paucissima."  Aug.  Op.  Basilise,  1542.  Tom.  ii. 
col.  556.  Epist.  118.] 


348  A    DECLARATION  OP   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

sacraments,  to  have  common  prayers,  to  provide  for  the 
poor,  is  to  be  observed,  that  all  things  may  be  done  in 
i  Cor.  xiv.  order.    1  Cor.  xiv. 

40. 

As  for  the  other  laws  that  they  have  made  concerning 
fasting  and  satisfaction  for  sin,  and  would  defend  them  under 
the  pretence  and  title  of  mortification  of  the  flesh;  that 
gloss  serveth  not  for  their  purpose.  But  their  hypocrisy 
layeth  wait  to  destroy  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ,  if  it  be 
not  avoided.  They  teach  neither  what  mortification  is, 
neither  how  the  flesh  may  be  best  kept  under  to  obey  the 
Spirit.  Mortification  signifieth  either  patience,  which  God 
requireth  in  the  time  of  adversity ;  either  temperance,  com- 
manded of  God  to  refrain  the  lusts  and  concupiscence 
that  fighteth  against  the  Spirit.  It  signifieth  not  such  vo- 
luntary fasts,  celebrating  of  masses,  or  any  such  other  doings 
of  superstitious  ceremonies,  as  man  chooseth  to  do  without 
the  commandment  of  God.  Of  patience  under  the  cross, 
2Cor.iv.  10.  and  of  adversity.  Saint  Paul  speaketh,  2  Cor.  iv. :  "We 
always,"  saith  he,  "bear  about  with  us  the  mortification 
of  the  Lord  Jesu  in  the  body,  to  that  end  that  the  life 
of  Jesu  may  be  manifested  in  the  body."  And  in  the 
same  place:  "Always  we,  that  be  living,  for  the  love  of 
Jesu  are  delivered  to  death,  that  the  life  of  Jesu  might 
appear  in  our  mortal  flesh."  This  calleth  Saint  Paul  mor- 
tification, that  is  like  unto  the  aflJiction  of  Christ,  and 
speaketh  of  the  same,  Rom.  xii.,  and  David,  Psal.  1., 
Mic.  vii. 

Of  temperance  and  sobriety  in  meat,  drink,  and  all 
Luke  xxi.    other  things,  it  is  written,  Luke  xxii.    "  Beware  your  hearts 
be  not  oppressed  with  gluttony  and  drunkenness."  Matt. 
Matt.  xvii.  xvii.   "  Thcse  kinds  of  spirits  be  not  cast  out,  but  with  fast- 
Ephes.vi.ii.  '^^E       pi'^ying.'"    Likewise,  Ephes.  vi.    Whether  we  speak 
of  patience  in  adversity,  or  temperancy  in  felicity,  both  these 
[be]'  works  commanded  of  God.   And  it  is  lawful  for  every 
man  to  choose  for  himself  such  exercises,  as  best  be  con- 
venient to  his  own  age  and  condition  of  his  body  ;  therefore 
1  Cor. ix. 27.  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  ix.,  "I  chasten  my  body  and  bring  it 
into  servitude"  to  this  end,  that  intemperancy  letted  not 
the  Holy  Ghost,  withdrawed  not  his  mind  from  prayer, 
made  him  not  unapt  to  study  and  to  the  vocation  he 
P  Supplied  from  A.J 


VII,] 


THE    FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


349 


was  appointed  unto.  This  is  the  end  why  we  should  do 
these  works,  not  to  merit  our  reconciUation  for  sin,  but  to 
labour  against  the  devil,  the  world,  sin,  and  the  flesh  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  to  preserve  ourselves  in  the  favour  of 
God. 

Temperancy  is  in  general  commended  unto  all  men  and  Temperan- 
all  times.  Howbeit,  not  one  manner  of  exercise  in  this 
virtue  can  be  appointed  for  all  men ;  but  every  man  may 
choose  for  himself,  what  exercise  he  listeth,  and  is  most 
convenient  for  his  disease.  Such  as  be  passed  in  age,  and 
with  cares  of  this  world  hath  lost  the  strength  of  their 
bodies,  needeth  not  so  great  abstinence  from  meats  and  drinks 
as  these  that  be  young  and  in  the  midst  of  their  strength. 
As  we  may  see  in  one  man,  David,  that  needed  more  ex- 
ercises before  he  was  put  into  exile  than  after ;  when  scarce 
could  the  bones  bear  about  the  weak  body,  that  was  far 
broken  with  the  troubles  and  care  of  this  world.  Health  Health, 
is  the  great  gift  of  God,  Deut.  xxviii.,  and  fairest  beauty 
of  man  or  woman,  Arist.  Lib.  Rhetori :  therefore  it  must 
not  be  hurt,  neither  with  overmuch  abstinence,  neither 
with  dissolute  living.  Would  to  God  people  would  follow  the 
scripture  in  this  mortification  !  then  the  world  would  amend 
doubtless:  but  there  is  now  nothing  but  a  carnal  liberty 
of  the  gospel,  which  hindereth  much  the  glory  of  God. 

The  pain  of  such  as  violate  this  commandment,  and 
doth  any  vile  work  without  necessity,  is  written  Numb,  xv.,  Num.xv.32. 
that  he  should  be  stoned  to  death. 

Thus  I  have  rudely  opened  the  first  table  of  the  ten 
words,  that  containeth  four  commandments :    the  which 
division  doth  Josephus'',  Antiq.  Lib.  vi.  cap.  3,  Origen,  ^""^j;''^- 
Homil.  in  Exod.  viii.,  Ambrose^  in  vi.  cap.  Epist.  ad  Ephes.  Hom.  in_ 
Augustine*,  Lib.  m.  ad  Bonifac.  approve.    In  his  Quasst.  in  |n  cap.^6._ 

P  Joseph.  Antiq.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  v.  par.  5.  Tom.  i.  p.  229.  Amsterd. 
1726.  Josephus  here  enumerates  the  commandments  in  accordance 
with  the  method  of  the  English  church.] 

Sed  quia  prima  quatuor  mandata  ad  Deum  pertinent,  haec  in  prima 
tabula  contineri  subintelliguntur,  cetera  ad  hominem,  &c.  Ambros. 
Op.  Tom.  III.  p.  243.    Col.  Agrip.  1616.] 

Aug.  Lib.  III.  ad  Bonif.  (contra  Duas  Epistt.  Pelagianorum)  enu- 
merates the  ten  commandments  in  accordance  with  the  present  method. 
Tom.  VI.  col.  899.] 


350  A    DECLARATION    OF    THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


In  Exod.     Exod.  Qusest.  71 he  numbereth  but  three  in  the  first,  and 

qusest,  7. 

seven  in  the  next  table,  by  reason  of  a  certain  allegory.  And 
Lib.  iii.  Dis-  him  doth  the  Master  of  the  Sentence^  follow.  Lib.  iii.  Distinct. 

tinct.  40.  .  1  •     -n  1 

40.    Howbeit  the  first  division  is  true,  as  the  text  m  Jlixod. 

Exod.  XX.  1.  XX.  is  plain,  where  as  the  tenth  commandment,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  covet,"  is  but  one  commandment ;  as  I  have  diligently 
searched  all  the  editions  that  we  have  in  the  Hebrew  tongue. 
With  one  punct,  period,  and  sentence  he  concludeth  the 
whole  tenth  commandment,  which  many  men  divide  into  two : 
"  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house,"  that  is  one 
with  them:  "Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife," 
is  another.  But  the  text  declareth  manifestly,  that  it  is 
but  one  :   for  all  is  comprehended  within  one  and  under 

Deut.  V.  21.  one  sentence.  In  Deuteronomy,  cap.  v.,  certain  later  editions 
maketh  divisions  of  the  text ;  but  that  is  nothing  to  the 
purpose.  There  Moses  repeateth  the  words  unto  them 
that  knew  before  the  division  of  the  tables.  Further,  the 
printers  therein  foUoweth  the  mind  of  one  Maimon[ides],  an 
Hebrew,  and  not  the  original  in  Exodus,  cap.  xx.  Fur- 
ther, in  the  oldest  edition  and  print  that  I  have  seen  (as 
far  as  I  know,  there  is  none  elder;  if  there  be,  it  is  but 
one),  the  tenth  commandment  in  Deuteronomy  is  not  di- 

P  Quseritur  decern  praecepta  legis  qucmadmodum  dividenda  sint ; 
utrum  quatuor  sint  usque  ad  prseceptum  de  sabbato,  quae  ad  ipsuni 
Deum  pertinent ;  sex  autem  reliqua,  quorum  primum^  "Honora  patrem 
et  matrem,"  quae  ad  hominem  pertinent :  an  potius  ilia  tria  sint  et  ista 
septem,  &c.  &c. 

Mihi  tamen  videntur  congruentius  accipi  tria  ilia  et  ista  septem, 
quoniam  Trinitatem  videntur  ilia  quae  ad  Deum  pertinent  insinuare 
diligentius  intuentibus.  Aug.  Op.  Basiliae,  1541.  Qusest.  super  Exod. 
cap.  XX.  71.    Tom.  i.  col.  147,  148.] 

\y  Habet  enim  Decalogus  decern  praecepta,  quae  sunt  decachordum 
psalterium.  Quae  sic  sunt  distributa,  ut  tria  quae  sunt  in  prima  tabula 
pertineant  ad  Deum,  scilicet,  ad  cognitionem  et  dilectionem  Trinitatis; 
septem  quae  sunt  in  secunda  tabula  ad  dilectionem  proximi. 

Primum  in  prima  tabula  est,  Non  habebis  Decs  alienos.  N^on  facies 
tibi  sculptile,  neque  omnem  similitudinem,  &c.  Haec  Origenes  dicit  esse 
duo  mandata,  sed  Augustinus  unum,  &c.  Pet.  Lomb.  Lib.  iii.  Distinct. 
37.    Lugduni,  1670,  fol.  281. 

In  Distinct.  40.  the  title  is  "De  sexto  et  septimo  praecepto  secundae 
tabulae." 

Sextum  praeceptum  est :  Non  desiderabis  uxorem  proximi  tui.  Sep- 
timum  est,  Non  concupisces  domum  proximi  tui,  &c.|] 


VII.] 


THE    FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


351 


vided,  the  which  edition  Venice  gave  unto  us,  anno  1494. 
Further,  Onkelos,  the  Chaldee  interpreter,  in  Deut.,  niaketh 
but  one  commandment  of  the  tenth.  I  wonder  that  some, 
which  be  not  ignorant  of  the  tongues,  follow  not  the  truth 
of  the  text,  but  maketh  the  commandment  that  forbid- 
deth  images  a  precept  ceremonial.  So  I  might  say  this 
were  also  ceremonial,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  strange  gods 
before  my  face."  For  all  the  commandments  be  of  one 
virtue  and  strength.  If  the  one  may  be  in  effect  cere- 
monial, so  may  the  other:  but  these  opinions  I  pass  over 
at  this  time. 


THE  SECOND  TABLE. 

CAPUT  VIII. 

Honour  thy  father  and  mother,  that  thou  mayest  have  long 
life  in  the  land  that  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  give  unto 
thee. 

As  in  the  first  table  are  comprehended  all  the  works 
that  appertain  unto  such  religion  and  honour  as  belongeth 
only  unto  God :  as  in  the  first  precept,  knowledge,  fear, 
faith,  and  love  of  God ;  in  the  second  is  forbid  all  external 
idolatry ;  in  the  third,  external  profession  of  God's  name, 
his  word,  and  his  works,  as  by  prayer,  thanksgiving, 
preaching,  and  confessing  his  truth  before  the  world  ;  in 
the  fourth,  how  we  should  honour  him  with  public  sacra- 
ments and  ceremonies  in  the  church :  so  in  this  second 
table  is  comprehended  all  such  works  as  appertain  unto 
God  and  man.  And  in  this  table  is  prescribed  how,  and 
by  what  means,  one  man  may  live  with  another  in  peace 
and  unity  in  this  civil  life,  during  the  time  of  this  mortal 
body  upon  the  earth. 

Many  noble  wits  hath  applied  great  diligence  and  study 
to  prescribe  such  laws  as  might  best  and  most  commodi- 
ously  govern  and  keep  the  people  in  a  politic  felicity,  to 
live  quietly,  prosperously,  and  wealthily :  as  Lycurgus  the 
Lacedaemonian,  Solon,  Plato,  Aristotle,  the  Greeks :  Numa 


352  A   DECLARATION    OF    THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


Pompilius,  Cicero,  and  other,  the  Romans :  amongst  Chris- 
tians, Constantine,  Justinian,  and  other.  Those  men  hath 
done  somewhat  to  associate  people  in  cities  and  realms 
by  wisdom,  to  keep  them  in  an  honest  order  with  virtu- 
ous laws,  and  to  remove  the  occasion  of  vice  and  discord 
by  justice. 

Howbeit,  none  of  them  all,  nor  all  they  together,  hath 
not  prescribed  so  perfect  and  absolute  a  form  of  a  politic 
wealth,  as  Almighty  God  hath  done  unto  his  people  in 
this  second  table  and  six  rules :  neither  so  equally  pon- 
dered the  diversity  of  sin  and  transgression  of  justice,  as 
this  law  doth ;  nor  so  indifferently  prescribeth  correction 
and  punishment  according  to  the  gravity  and  greatness  of  the 
fault,  but  is  too  cruel  in  the  less  offence,  and  too  merciful 
in  the  greater :  as  ye  may  see  the  injuries  of  theft  punished, 
and  blasphemy  of  God  with  adultery  unpunished. 

After  that  he  had  gathered  together  this  people  into 
one  company  and  multitude,  brought  them  out  of  Egypt, 
and  appointed  them  a  land  and  cities,  where  they  should 
live,  as  members  of  one  commonwealth,  he  prescribed  unto 
them  certain  laws,  without  the  which  no  commonwealth 
can  long  endure.  For  it  is  no  less  mastery  to  keep  a 
royalme  in  wealth  from  the  dangers  to  come,  than  to  win 
it  from  adversity,  when  adversity  is  present. 

The  first  law  to  preserve  a  commonwealth  is,  that  the 
people  thereof  know  how  to  reverence  and  honour  God 
aright,  who  is  the  president  and  the  defender  of  all  cities 
and  realms.  If  he  be  neglected,  there  folio weth  doubtless 
a  ruin  and  change  of  the  commonwealth.  Thus  saw  all 
those  that  wrote  laws  for  the  preservation  thereof:  not 
only  Moses  and  christian  writers,  but  also  the  ethnicks, 
Aristotle  \  Lib.  vii.  Polit.  cap.  8,  where  as  he  numbereth 
the  works  to  be  done  in  the  city :  Quintum,  inquit,  ac 
primum  circa  aram  dimnam  cultus,  quod  sacrificium  wcant; 
that  is  to  say,  "the  fifth  and  principal  work  is  religion 
at  the  altar  of  God,  which  men  call  sacrifice.""  They 
knew  that  no  city  nor  realm  could  continue  long  in  wealth, 
except  they  had  the  favour  of  God ;  though  they  could 

p  HefiTTTov  Se  (cat  TrpStTov,  Tr)v  nepi  to  6elov  eVi/xeXftaj/,  KaXovaiv 
Upare'iav.    Aristot.  Pol.  Lib.  vii.  cap.  8.    Jense,  1660.  p.  733.] 


THE    FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


353 


not  tell  how  to  honour  him  aright.  We  likewise  know 
the  same,  the  favour  of  God  first  and  chiefly  to  preserve 
the  commonwealth,  Ps.  cxxvii.  Deut.  xxxi. ;  and  be  assured 
by  his  word  how  we  may  honour  him,  to  say,  as  it  is  taught 
us  in  the  first  table  and  four  first  precepts. 

The  second  law  necessary  for  every  commonwealth  is, 
that  the  people  among  themselves  live  in  peace  and  con- 
cord, without  discord  and  dissension.  As  Sallust''  saith, 
"  Little  things  by  concord  increaseth,  and  great  things  by 
discord  decreaseth."  That  saw  the  poor  shepherd  Meliboeus 
in  Virgil,  when  he  said :  En,  quo  discordia  cives  perduxit 
miseros^ !  that  is  to  say,  "  Lo  !  whither  (or  into  what 
miseries)  hath  discord  brought  the  wretched  citizens  ! " 

Not  only  Rome,  and  other  most  noble  commonwealths, 
lost  their  liberties  and  themselves  by  discord,  but  also  the 
commonwealth  of  the  Israelites.  As  ye  may  read,  3  Reg.  xii.,  i  Kings  xii. 
how  of  one  kingdom  was  made  two,  for  the  discord  that 
Grod  suffered  to  be  among  themselves  for  the  idolatry  of 
king  Salomon,  3  Reg.  xi.  ;  where  as  ye  have  an  example, 
that  no  commonwealth  can  endure,  where  as  the  precepts 
of  the  first  table  be  neglected. 

Almighty  God  therefore,  after  that  he  hath  taught 
the  people  what  is  to  be  done  towards  him  in  the  first 
table,  he  sheweth  in  the  second  table  what  we  should  do, 
one  to  the  other  of  us,  that  peace  and  concord  might  be 
among  us ;  which  cannot  be,  where  as  one  knoweth  not, 
what  reverence  and  honour  should  be  done  to  the  other. 
For  where  as  all  men  will  be  like,  there  is  neither  wealth 
nor  virtue ;  but  contention  and  hatred,  which  is  the  matter 
and  ground  of  all  calamities  and  mischief.  The  law  of  God 
therefore,  in  the  first  front  of  this  second  table,  doth  ap- 
point and  institute  a  certain  impery  and  dominion  to  be 
had  among  his  people,  that  one  person  might  be  known 
from  the  other;  commandeth  obedience  unto  the  superior 
powers,  saying,  "  Magnify  or  reverence  thy  father  and 
mother.'"  If  this  order  be  kept,  there  is  a  reward  ap- 
pointed for  the  observation  thereof,  as  the  text  saith : 
"  Thou  shalt  live  long  upon  the  earth."    After  that  people 

P  Nam  Concordia  res  parvse  crescunt,  discordia  maximse  dilabuntur. 
Sallustii,  Bellum  Jugurthinum — Micipsse  oratio.] 
P  Virg.  Bucol.  Eel.  i.  1.  72.] 
r  1  23 

[HOOPER.  J 


354  A   DECLARATION   OP  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

of  a  commonwealth  know  each  of  them  their  duties,  it 
is  necessary  there  follow  a  law  to  maintain  them  in  peace 
and  unity.  Therefore  folio weth  it  in  the  table :  "  Thou 
shalt  not  kill,"  which  precept  is  a  munition  and  defence  of 
the  peace. 

Howbeit,  because  there  followeth  alteration  and  change 
in  every  commonwealth  by  reason  of  death,  and  the  per- 
sons present  cannot  live  for  ever,  the  law-maker  for  the 
commonwealth  must  provide  how  the  places  of  those  that 
die  may  be  again  furnished ;  that  with  the  departure  of 
one  may  follow  the  success  of  another.  Wherefore  God 
putteth  the  sixth'  canon  that  defendeth  marriage,  whereby 
is  preserved  this  commonwealth,  and  as  godly  continue,  as 
it  began;  the  which  law  is  not  only  necessary  for  the 
preservation  of  the  commonwealth  to  come,  but  also  to 
preserve  the  state  present  in  peace  and  tranquillity.  For 
never  was  there  greater  occasion  of  discord  and  hate 
between  commonwealth  and  commonwealth,  prince  and 
prince,  private  persons  and  private  persons,  than  for  the 
abuse  and  violating  of  marriage,  and  committing  forni- 
cation, with  such  like  vices :  as  it  is  to  be  seen  by  Dina, 
Gen.  xxxiv.  Gen.  xxxiv. :  by  Thamar,  2  Reg.  xiii.:  by  the  priest's  wife 
2  Sam.  abused  of  the  Beniamites,  Judicum  xix.,  xx.  read  the  place. 
Judges  xix.  For  the  rape  of  Helena  Troy  perished :  for  the  oppressing 
of  Lucrece  at  Rome,  and  other.  Then  as  there  be  laws 
to  preserve  the  person's  self  of  the  commonwealth,  so  must 
there  be  laws  to  preserve  such  goods  as  appertain  unto  the 
members  of  the  commonwealth,  that  one  do  no  wrongs  unto 
the  other,  but  every  man  be  content  with  his  own  condition 
and  proper  goods,  and  not  to  usurp  authority  over  his  neigh- 
bours. Therefore  the  eighth  law  is  concerning  the  defence 
of  proper  and  private  goods,  "  Thou  shalt  do  no  theft." 

Howbeit,  seeing  we  are  frail  and  so  ill,  that  many  times 
we  transgress  some  or  all  these  laws  that  preserveth  the 
commonwealth,  it  is  necessary  to  find  and  prepare  some 
remedy  to  have  the  transgressor  punished,  and  the  person 
that  is  hurt  and  offended  restored  unto  his  right.  There- 
fore is  there  this  clause  and  rule  in  the  law ;   "  Thou 

Sixth  canon:  the  sixth  commandment,  as  enumerated  by  the 
church  of  Rome  and  the  Lutherans ;  the  seventh  in  the  arrangement 
usually  followed  by  protestants.] 


VIII.J  THE   FIFTH   COMMANDMENT.  *S55 

shalt  give  no  false  testimony  against  thy  neighbour:"  which 
is  the  ninth  commandment,  and  bindeth  as  well  the  supe- 
rior powers  to  see  equity  and  justice  without  respect  of 
persons,  as  the  cause  requireth,  observed ;  as  such  shall 
be  testimonies  in  a  doubtful  matter  to  say  as  they  know 
truly:  and  likewise,  that  in  buying  and  selling,  and  in  all 
other  contracts,  men  use  no  fraud  to  get  their  goods.  These 
laws  now  I  will  open,  in  order  as  they  stand,  plainly  and 
simply  as  I  can,  to  the  understanding  of  the  text.  As  for 
them''  I  will  speak  of  severally:  these  be  the  fountains 
and  original  of  all  politic  laws. 

The  first  law  that  stablisheth  the  authority  of  the 
superior  powers,  beginneth  with  the  name  of  the  father  and  fathers  and 

1  -r-i       \.  1  ^1  mothers. 

mother.    For  after  and  next  unto  God  we  owe  most  rever- 
ence unto  them,  of  whom  we  have  received  this  natural  life 
by  the  help  of  God :  and  they  likewise  hath  sustained  the 
pains  of  our  education  and  bringing  up.    Then  under  the 
name  of  the  parents  is  concluded  all  other  persons  to  whom 
we  owe  our  obedience  and  love ;  as  the  country  where  we  our  coun- 
were  born,  or  where  we  have  our  living,  that  we  be  true 
and   faithful    unto  it,    garnish  it  what   we   may,  and 
enrich  it  with  all  godly  knowledge,  arts,  and  other  com- 
modities ;  nor  to  hurt  it,  but  to  die  for  it,  as  justice  shall 
require :   then  the  prince  or  magistrate,  that  hath  the  The  prince 
defence  of  the  country  and  the  people  of  the  same  committed  trate.  ° 
unto  his  charge :    tutors  appointed   for  youth,  such  as  Tutors  and 
teacheth  any  craft  or  handy  means  to  Hve  by :  the  doctors  over  youth, 
and  teachers  in  the  ministry  of  the  church,   whom  the 
scripture  calleth  the  father  of  the  people,  1  Cor.  iv.  :  then  i  Cor.  iv.is. 
such  as  be  by  nature  and  parentage  our  kinsfolk ;   also  Kinsfolk, 
all  that  be  our  elders,  unto  whom  we  owe  obedience. 
These  be  the  persons,  that  be  understanded  by  the  father 
and  the  mother. 

The  text  saith,  that  I  should  honour  them.    The  which  Honour, 
word  in  the  Hebrew  hath  a  greater  energy'^  and  strength 
than  one  word  in  Latin  or  English  can  express.  Cahad^ 
signifieth,  to  set  much  by,  to  have  in  estimation,  to  pre- 
fer and  extol ;  and  requireth  these  affections  in  the  heart. 


P  As  for  the  then  the  law,  A.   And  of  them,  C] 

p  Force,  C]  Cabad,  113.   Exod.  xx.  12.] 

23—2 


356  A   DECLARATION   OF  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  not  only  external  reverence,  as  be  fair  words,  outward 
gestures,  without  the  love  of  the  heart ;  to  obey  them  in  all 
things  honest,  agreeing  with  the  law  of  God,  not  contemn 
them,  neglect  them,  hate  them,  or  be  unkind  to  them ;  to 
help  them  as  we  be  able,  if  necessity  require;  to  put  our 
lives  for  them,  and  to  pay  them  their  due,  Rom.  xiii.,  and 
that  without  murmur  and  grudge.  For  all  those  that  I  have 
rehearsed  be  as  our  fathers,  and  as  it  were  a  second  God 
appointed  for  us  upon  the  earth. 

Therefore,  if  thou  wilt  have  a  very  true  image  to  ex- 
press God  Omnipotent,  thy  sole  God  and  Maker,  unto  thy 
reason  and  external  senses,  set  those  superior  powers  be- 
fore thine  eye,  which  hath  or  doth  travail  for  thy  wealth 
and  commodity ;  thy  father  and  mother,  as  is  before  said ; 
the  prince  and  king,  how^  to  keep  thee  in  thine  own 
country  in  wealth  and  felicity,  that  thou  be  not  made  pri- 
soner nor  bondman  unto  a  strange  nation,  thy  contraries'^ 
and  thy  mortal  enemies.  The  land  itself  bringeth  thee  fruit 
and  all  things  necessary  for  thy  life,  the  which  thy  fathers 
won  with  their  blood,  and  maintained  with  their  body  and 
goods.  Thy  preacher  telleth  the  will  of  God,  and  all  his 
study  is  to  bring  thee  to  eternal  felicity.  Unto  those  thou 
owest  of  duty  a  filial  reverence  and  honour ;  to  thy  father, 
Exod.  XX.,  Deut.  v.,  Prov.  x.,  Eph.  vi.,  Eccles.  iii. ;  to  thy 
prince  and  lawful  magistrate.  Josh,  i.,  Rom.  xiii.;  Eph.  vi., 
Tit.  iii.,  Heb.  xiii.,  1  Pet.  ii. ;  to  thy  elders,  Levit.  xix, 
1  Tim.  V. ;  the  which  was  observed  also  among  the  gen- 
tiles, as  Juvenal  the  poet  saith,  that  thought  it  a  fault 
worthy  death  if  the  younger  honoured  not  the  elder^.  As 
for  the  defence  of  the  country,  it  was  and  is  [granted]^ 
of  all  natural  men,  that  there  needeth  nor  testimony  nor 
example:  Moses,  Deut.  xx.;  the  profane  writers,  as  Horace, 
thus  speaketh,  [that]*  '■'■Dulce  et  decorum  pro  patria  mori;  that 
is  to  say,  "  It  is  sweet  and  decent  to  die  for  the  country." 
The  Lacedemonians,  that  were  slain  in  Termin',  had  this 
epitaph  on  their  graves  : 

Hospes,  die  Spartce,  nos  te  hie  vidisse  jacentes, 
Dum  patrice  Sanctis  legibus  obsequimur. 

P  That  travaileth  how,  Adversaries,  C] 

[=•  Juv.  Sat.  XIII.  54.]  SuppHed  from  C.J 

P  Thermopylae.    See  Cicero,  Tusc.  Quscst.  i.  101.] 


VIII.] 


THE   FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


357 


"Thou  stranger,  say,  that  thou  sawest  us  here  dead,  whiles 
we  obeyed  the  holy  laws  of  our  country."  As  for  our 
honour  and  reverence  to  such  as  teach  us  the  word  of 
God,  it  is  shewed,  and  also  the  examples  of  the  Corin- 
thians, and  likewise  of  the  Galatians,  that  were  so  prompt 
to  obey  Paul  before  they  were  seduced,  that  they  would 
have  plucked  out  their  own  eyes  to  have  done  Paul  honour. 
Galat.  [iv.  15.] 

Valerius  Maximus'',  libro  xi.  capit.  1,  [writeth]''  how  in 
Rome  the  elders  were  always  taken  as  fathers  of  the 
younger,  and  that  no  youth  should  sit  at  any  feast  till 
their  elders  had  place ;  they  should  be  the  last  that  sat, 
and  the  first  that  rise  from  the  table. 

Every  man  should  reverence  and  honour  these  supe- 
rior powers,  not  for  fear,  but  for  love.  And  consider  that 
God  beginneth  not  this  second  table  with  the  dominion 
and  empire  of  the  father  in  vain,  or  without  cause ;  but 
meaneth,  that  we  should  none  otherwise  love  the  superior 
powers  of  the  earth,  and  be  affectionated  unto  them,  than 
unto  our  natural  parents,  and  obey  them  in  all  things  that 
is  consonant  or  not  against  the  law  of  God. 

Likewise  the  superior  powers  should  be  none  otherwise 
afi^cted  with  love  towards  their  subjects,  than  the  father 
is  against*  the  son.  Consider  the  work  and  ordinance  of 
God  in  this  superiority  and  dominion,  that  preserveth  the 
good,  punisheth  the  ill,  advanceth  virtue,  and  oppresseth 
vice,  to  the  preservation  and  wealth  of  the  republic' 

Thine  office  is  to  consider,  in  what  place  the  superior 
is  set,  and  how  the  devil  travaileth  without  ceasing  to 
trouble  the  tranquillity,  peace,  and  good  order  of  every 
commonwealth  by  sedition,  treason,  war,  and  lascivious 
and  dissolute  manner  of  living.  Further,  he  laboureth 
continually  to  subvert  the  prince  and  governor  thereof,  to 

["  Senectuti  juventus  ita  cumulatum  et  circumspectum  honorem 
reddebat,  tanquam  majores  natu  adolescentium  communes  patres  essent. 
— Invitati  ad  coenam  diligenter  quserebant,  quinam  ei  convivio  essent 
interfuturi ;  ne  senioris  adventum  discubitu  prsecurrerent :  sublataque 
mensa  priores  consurgere  et  abire  patiebantur.  Valer.  Max.  Lib.  ii. 
cap.  1.  9.] 

[J  Supplied  from  C]  Against,  A  and  B.    Towards,  C] 

P  Republic,  A  and  B.    Commonwealth,  C] 


358  A  DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

bring  him  from  virtue  to  vice,  that  they  may  both  with 
ungodly  laws  and  ill  example  pervert  the  people  and  bring 
them  from  God.  As  thou  mayest  see  by  David  and  Saul, 
two  virtuous  and  godly  kings  at  the  beginning  of  their  reign. 
Saul  he  utterly  lost^  in  this  world,  and  in  the  world  to 
come.  He  so  intricated  and  wrapped  David  in  the  snares 
of  sin,  that  scarce  could  he  find'^  his  colour,  and  return 
to  grace.  Mark  how  he  did  dare  and  blind  Salomon,  the 
wisest  that  ever  reigned,  and  brought  him  to  idolatry. 

Remember  that  they  that  rule  be  men,  and  hath  like- 
wise their  infirmities,  and  without  a  singular  grace  can- 
not govern  well:  as  Salomon  saith:  Ut  oculus  videat,  et 
auris  audiat,  Deusfacit  utrumque;  that  is  to  say,  "  That  the 
eye  see,  and  the  ear  hear,  God  giveth  both."  The  mean- 
ing of  which  text  is,  that  if  the  magistrate  have  good  counsel, 
and  see  what  is  best  for  the  commonwealth,  and  the  people 
obey  it,  it  be  the  works  of  God.  No  human  sapience,  dili- 
gence, and  industry  is  sufficient  for  this  vocation.  There- 
2  Cor.  iii.  5.  fore  Paul  saith,  2  Cor.  iii.  "  Our  ability  and  sufficiency 
is  of  God." 

When  we  have  considered  the  malice  of  the  devil  against 
such  as  rule  in  the  world,  and  likewise  the  rulers'  proper 
infirmities,  then  let  us  consider  likewise  our  own  sins  and 
naughty  life,  for  the  punishment  whereof  God  giveth  many 
times  cruel  and  ungodly  governors,  Job  xxxv.;  as  he  giveth 
good,  wise,  and  loving  princes  to  such  as  fear  his  name. 
[2Chron.  2  Par.  ix.  If  they  happen  to  fall  from  God  and  follow 
'^'^  vice,  it  is  not  thy  duty  straightway  to  calumniate,  speak, 
move  sedition,  cast  off  obedience,  love,  and  fear,  that  thou 
owest  unto  them ;  but  pray  for  them,  study  what  thou  canst 
to  call  them  again  to  God ;  be  prone  to  forget  and  remit 
the  offence.  Remember  David  and  Saul,  that  fell  and  yet 
returned ;  dissemble  at  such  faults  as  be  curable,  lest  the 
public  peace  be  troubled.  Remember,  though  he  be  naught 
that  ruleth,  the  place  and  office  that  he  is  in  is  the  order 
and  work  of  God.  So  if  thou  put  difference  between  the 
office  itself,  which  is  good,  and  the  officer,  that  is  evil ; 
it  shall  keep  thee  in  a  fear,  that  thou  reverence  a  good 
and  godly  governance  in  an  ill  governor :  as  Paul  loved 

[}  Ruined.  Old  editions,  loost.^] 

\y  Find :  Fend,  A.    Fynde,  B.    Finde,  C] 


VIII.J 


THE   FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


359 


the  policy  and  laws  of  Rome,  and  never  taught  sedition, 
though  he  hated  Caligula  and  Nero,  the  emperors,  that 
occupied  the  empire  and  dominion. 

Beware,  therefore,  of  contumacy  and  disobedience  against 
the  superior  powers ;  obey  them  in  all  things,  where  they 
command  thee  nothing  against  God's  laws.  So  commandeth 
Paul,  Eph.  vi. ;  for  they  are  appointed  unto  that  place  of  Eph.  vi.  i. 
governance  to  be  God's  vicars,  to  execute  his  law,  his  will, 
his  pleasure,  to  bring  men  to  God,  and  not  to  carry  men 
from  God.  For  in  case  they  instigate  their  subjects  to  the 
transgression  of  God's  laws,  we  must  obey  neither  them, 
neither  their  laws :  they  be  not  then  our  fathers,  but  ra- 
ther strangers,  that  would  draw  us  from  the  obedience  of 
God,  which  is  our  very  Father.  It  is  not  decent,  that  their 
authority  should  be  above,  and  God's  authority  under.  For 
as  man's  authority  dependeth  of  God's,  so  should  it  bring 
men,  and  lead  men  to  God.  Where  as  they  command  no- 
thing against  God's  law,  thou  hast  heard  before  what  reve- 
rence thou  owest  unto  them. 

A  thing  more  unnatural  is  there  not,  than  to  see  the 
son  dishonour  the  father,  the  subject  his  superior;  as  we 
learn  not  only  by  the  scripture,  but  also  by  the  examples 
of  all  other  beasts  of  the  earth  and  fowls  of  the  air,  ex- 
cept a  few.   Therefore,  the  book  of  Job  sendeth  us  unto  Job  xu.  7. 
them  to  learn  wisdom.  Job  xii.    So  doth  Pliny*,  Lib.  viii.  Nat.  Hist, 
cap.  27,  shew  what  wisdom  the  beasts  of  the  earth  hath  cap.^xvh. 
taught  man.    Be  not  as  the  viper,  that  gnaweth  out  the 
belly  of  her  dam,  and  seeketh  her  own  life  with  her  dam's 
death.    Follow  the  nature  of  the  cicone'',  that  in  her  youth 
nourisheth  the  old  days  of  her  parents ^  Plin.  Lib.  x.  cap.  23,  vim.  Nat. 

Hist. lib.  X, 

Nat.  Hist.  Thus  thou  art  bound  to  do.  Exod.  xx.,  Deut.  v.,  cap.  xxiii. 
Deut.  xvii.,  Exod.  xxi.,  Prov.  xv.,  Rom.  xiii.,  Jer.  xxxv.  12. 
If  thou  do  it,  thou  shalt  have  the  reward;  which  is,  to 
live  long  upon  the  earth.    If  thou  do  it  not,  be  assured 
that  God  will  punish  it,  though  man  do  not.    Read  the 

P  C.  Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  Basilis,  1545.  p.  137,  &c.] 

[*  Cicone:  ciconia,  stork.] 

Ciconis  nidos  eosdem  repetunt,  genetricum  senectam  invicem 
educant.    C.  Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  p.  176.    See  also  Aristotelis  de  Hist. 
Anim.  Lib.  ix.  cap.  13,  from  which  Pliny's  account  appears  to 
taken.] 


360  A    DECLAHATION  OP   THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


[oh. 


five-and-thirtieth  chapter  of  Hieremy  the  prophet,  and  mark 
how  God  punished  the  children  of  Israel  for  disobedience, 
and  rewarded  the  Rechabites  for  obedience  of  their  father  s 
will. 

rhe  duty  of       Now,  it  is  necessary  to  know  the  superior's  duty.  First, 
superiors,   ^^le  father  s  to  the  son ;   then  of  others  that  bear  rule  in 
the  world. 

3f  fathers.        The  fathers'  office  is,   to  teach  and  bring  up  their 
children  in  the  knowledge  and  discipline  of  God,  to  know 
him  aright,  and  keep  them  from  wantonness  and  ungodly 
Eph.vi.  4.  life,  Eph.  vi.  Deut.  vi.  Exod.  xxi. ;  not  to  provoke  them 
Deut.  \i.  7.       j^^^         gently  win  them  to  virtue  and  love,  without 
severity  and  rigour,  if  fair  means  can  avail ;   if  not,  to 
use  rod  and  the  punishment,  as  he  seeth  the  cause  require ; 
and  not  to  be  remiss  and  negligent  in  correcting  his  child's 
fault,  neither  to  wink  at  his  ill  doings.    Read  the  place  : 
Prov.  xiii.   Prov.  xiii.  xxii.  xix. ;  Eccles.  xxx.      But,  alas !   how  can 
!4.  &XX111.         -^^  done,  whereas  the  parents  themselves  can  scarce 
Eccius.xxx.  j,gpgg^^      heart  the  articles  of  the  faith,  the  Fater  Noster, 
and  ten  commandments  ?    How  can  those  miserable  persons 
teach  their  children  the  meaning  of  their  belief,  the  virtue 
of  prayer,  the  danger  of  sin,  or  right  use  of  the  sacra- 
ments ?    This  the  world  oweth  unto  the  holy  church,  that 
is  extolled  into  the  higher  heavens,  that  hath  robbed  people 
not  only  of  the  scripture  in  a  known  tongue,  but  also 
preferred  unto  the  cure  of  souls  such  as  sing  sol  fa,  and 
can  do  nothing  less  than  the  thing  that  appertaineth  unto 
their  office. 

Now,  what  the  prince  and  magistrate  should  be,  what 
their  office  is  towards  their  subjects,  what  is  their  reward 
if  they  govern  well,  and  what  their  pain  if  they  do  the 
contrary,  it  shall  appear  by  the  scripture. 

Of  Kings.         What  the  king  should  be,  it  is  written  Deut.  xvii. 

Deut.  xvu.  likewise,  what  things  they  should  do,  or  not  do.  "  If 
thou  wilt,"  saith  God  unto  the  Israelites,  "  have  a  king, 
thou  shalt  take  him  that  I  choose  in  the  midst  of  thy 
brothers  (understand  that  now  all  kings,  be  they  good  or 
bad,  are  put  in  their  authority  by  God)  ;  thou  canst  make 
no  stranger  king  over  thee."  In  these  words  is  declared, 
that  whosoever  will  govern  a  commonwealth  aright,  must 
love   it  and  the   members  thereof,  as   the   father  his 


VIII.] 


THE   FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


361 


children:   as  Xenophon  saith^,  "a  good  prince  differeth 
nothing  from  a  good  father."    Aristotle'*  Lib.  Politicorum,  Lib.  Pouti. 
V.  cap.  9.  sheweth  many  conditions,  that  are  necessarily  j.g.  ^- 
quired  in  him  that  should  be  preferred  to  the  governance 
of  a  commonwealth. 

The  first  is,  that  he  love  it  and  the  state  thereof. 
Thus  required  likewise  Christ  in  Peter,  when  he  com- 
mended the  people  unto  his  charge,  saying,  "Peter,  lovest 
thou  me  ?"  "  Yea,  Lord,"  said  he,  "  and  that  thou 
knowest."  "Then,  Peter,  feed  my  sheep."  John  xxi.  johnxxi.17. 
He  shall  not  profit  in  the  regiment  of  the  civil  wealth, 
nor  ecclesiastical,  without  a  singular  love  unto  the  pre- 
servation thereof. 

The  king  there  is  forbidden  to  multiply  horses,  and 
to  carry  the  people  again  into  Egypt :  not  that  the  king 
should  have  no  horses,  or  permit  none  of  his  subjects,  if 
occasion  required,  to  travel  into  Egypt ;  but  that  he  should 
not  glory  in  his  own  strength,  and  cause  the  people  to 
trust  in  the  might  and  power  of  the  flesh,  as  though  by 
man  their  commonwealth  might  be  preserved,  or  their 
enemies  so  overcome  in  time  of  war,  as  Pharao  and  the 
Egyptians  did. 

Farther,  it  is  forbidden  the  king  to  have  many  wives ; 
and  the  cause  is,  lest  they  should  withdraw  his  heart  from 
God.  Neither  should  the  king  multiply  for  himself  great 
abundance  of  gold  and  silver.  But  thus  the  king  must 
do,  when  he  reigneth  in  his  kingdom :  cause  an  exemplar 
of  Deuteronomy  be  written  out,  and  that  book  should  be 
with  him,  and  he  to  read  therein  all  the  days  of  his  life, 
and  learn  to  fear  the  Lord  his  God,  and  to  observe  all  the 
precepts  thereof,  and  laws,  to  do  them. 

Farther,  his  heart  should  not  be  lift  up  above  his 
brothers,  and  should  not  decline  from  the  precepts  of  the 
book,  neither  to  the  left  hand,  neither  to  the  right ;  that 
he  may  prolong  his  days  in  his  reign,  he  and  his  children, 
in  the  midst  of  Israel.  Deut.  xvii.  Deut.  xvii. 

C  'AXXa  iroWaKis  fxev  fi^,  to  avBpes,  Koi  aXkoT€  Karfvorjaa  on 
apxwv  dya66s  ov8ev  8ia(f>€pei  Trarpoy  ayadov.    Xenoph.  Cyrop.  lib.  H'.] 

^  Tpia  8e  riva  XPV  ^X^"*  '''"^^  peXKovTas  ap^eiv  ray  Kvplas  dpx<is.  K.r.X. 
Aristot.  Polit.  Lib.  v.  cap.  9.    Jena,  1660.  p.  552.] 


362  A   DECLARATION   OF    THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


The  first  cure  and  charge  of  the  magistrate  or  prince 
must  be,  to  see  their  subjects  instructed  in  the  first  table 
and  the  precepts  thereof ;  which  cannot  be,  except  they 
appoint  learned  and  convenient  ministers  in  the  church, 
that  teach  none  other  doctrine  than  the  holy  bible  con- 
taineth. 

Concerning  their  office  in  civil  governance,  it  is  de- 
scribed Psalm  c. ;  to  live  vpell  himself,  and  to  observe  mercy 
and  justice,  to  punish  vice,  and  to  extol  virtue.  Read  that 
psalm :  there  shalt  thou  see  a  prince's  office,  his  life  and 
family  described ;  how  he  should  live  after  the  word  of 
God,  govern  his  people  thereby;  what  servants  he  should 
have  in  his  court,  and  what  persons  should  be  banished 
out  of  the  court ;  to  use  the  industry  of  such  as  be  good 
in  public  and  private  business,  as  it  is  in  the  sixth  verse. 
It  may  happen,  a  prince  to  have  ill  servants,  extortioners, 
pollers,  pillers,  oppressors  of  the  poor,  nor  commodious  for 
his  majesty  nor  for  the  people  of  his  realm.  Such  as  live 
in  illness,  blaspheme  God,  and  can  do  none  other  thing 
than  devour  the  bread  of  the  poor;  those  David  saith, 
in  the  eighth^  verse,  he  will  banish  out  of  the  court. 

In  the  ninth  ^  and  last  verse  he  saith,  he  will  not  only 
rid  his  court  of  such  ill  persons,  but  also  daily  give  dili- 
gence to  purge  and  cleanse  all  his  realm  of  such  ill  doers. 
The  princes  that  hath  this  study  to  maintain  the  glory 
of  God,  and  to  preserve  justice  and  equity,  if  by  infirmities 
they  fall  sometimes,  must  be  borne  withal,  and  their  faults 
either  hid  or  healed ;  as  it  is  to  be  seen  in  Salomon  and 
David.  If  their  ofifence  be  hurtful  and  slanderous  to  the 
word  of  God,  and  pernicious  to  the  commonwealth,  the 
preacher  of  God's  word  must  not  dissemble  to  correct  it 
by  the  word  of  God  plainly,  without  colour  or  circumlo- 
cution, as  Nathan  did  David;  Elias,  Achab;  John,  Herod. 
For  that  that  is  spoken  to  all  men,  is  as  though  it  were 
spoken  to  no  man.    So  doth  Paul  teach. 

The  princes  are  called  reges  a  regendo ;  that  is  to  say, 
they  are  called  kings,  which  name  cometh  of  a  verb  that 
signifieth  to  govern.  They  must  lead  the  people  and  them- 
selves by  the  law,  and  not  against  the  law ;  to  be  ministers 

[i  Eighth,  A  and  B,  seventh,  C] 
[2  Ninth,  A  and  B,  ciglith,  C] 


VIII.J 


THE    FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


363 


of  the  law,  and  not  masters  over  the  law.  Cato  saith 
well  therein,  "Obey  the  law  that  thou  madest  thyself." 
It  should  not  offend  the  magistrates  to  be  reprehended 
by  the  preacher  of  the  law  of  God,  but  rather  take  it  in 
good  part,  and  thank  God  that  he  hath  one  to  admonish 
him  of  ill  in  time ;  remembering  the  words,  Ecclesiasticus  Eccies.  x. 
X.  Bex  hodie,  et  eras  morietur,  that  is  to  say,  "To-day 
a  king,  and  to-morow  shall  die." 

All  the  estates  of  the  world,  in  their  honour,  should 
remember  the  words  written,  Gen.  ii.  Formavit  Dominus  ^• 
hominem  lutum  de  terra ;  that  is  to  say,  "  The  Lord  God 
made  man  clay  of  the  earth."  Which  words  should  ad- 
monish all  men  of  their  condition  and  original.  Q^t^(?  igitur 
superhis,  cinis  et  lutum  ?  Ecclus.  x. ;  that  is  to  say,  "  Why  eccIus.  x. 
then  art  thou  proud,  ashes  and  clay?"  Thus  should 
all  other  remember,  that  boast  so  their  nobility,  and 
think  there  be  no  men  but  they.  In  time  past  men 
were  accounted  noble  for  virtue  and  justice;  such  as  had 
done  some  noble  act,  either  in  peace,  in  governing  the 
commonwealth,  or  in  war  for  the  defence  of  his  country, 
and  the  heads  thereof  They  were  born  no  gentlemen, 
but  made  gentlemen  for  their  noble  and  virtuous  acts. 
The  nobility  now-a-days  is  degenerate.  It  applieth  no 
study  to  follow  the  wisdom,  learning,  and  virtues  of  their 
predecessors,  but  thinketh  it  enough  to  have  the  name, 
without  effect.  Their  wisdom  and  learning  once  ruled 
other ;  now  they  contemn  learning,  and  scarce  can  under- 
stand a  learned  man  when  he  talketh  of  wisdom  and 
learning.  Trajanus  the  emperor  said  unto  the  captain  of 
his  horsemen,  when  he  gave  him  a  sword,  "  Use  this  sword 
for  me,  if  I  command  the  things  that  be  right ;  if  not, 
use  it  against  me."  There  should  no  vice  be  excused, 
neither  defended,  under  the  pretence  and  cloke  of  God's 
works;  neither  for  the  dignity  of  any  place,  manifest  in- 
juries and  wickedness  permitted  to  reign.  But  the  word 
of  God  should  always,  without  respect  of  persons,  stand  in 
his  full  strength  and  power ;  whose  office  it  is  to  teach  the 
ignorant,  rebuke  the  transgressors,  chasten  the  intractable, 
and  to  institute  man  to  all  kind  of  virtue.  2  Tim.  iii,  2  xim.  iii. 

They  should  remember,  that  kingdoms  be  altered  and 
changed  because  of  sin.  Job  xxxv.  and  that  God  removed 


364  A   DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

likewise  princes  from  their  dignities  by  reason  of  sin ;  as 
it  is  to  be  seen  by  Saul,  the  first  king  among  christian 

isam.  xvi.  people.  1  Reg.  chap.  xvi.  All  kings  and  commonwealths  of 
Christianity  were  instituted,  specially  to  preserve  the 
ministry  of  the  church,  and  the  estimation  of  God's  word, 
that  people  might  know  and  live  according  to  it,  and  as 
it  teacheth  ;  to  decline  all  unjust  wars  and  battles,  to  defend 
themselves,  their  realms,  and  all  other  that  be  persecuted 
for  justice ;  as  Abraham  did  his  neighbours  and  Loth  his 

3en.  xiv.  16.  nephew.  Gen.  xiv. ;  to  promote  peace  and  make  concord, 

Matt.  V.  9.  that  they  may  be  the  children  of  God,  Matt.  v. 

No  christian  man  will  take  me  here,  as  though  I  ex- 
tenuated the  princely  honour  of  kings  and  other  magistrates, 
commended  to  us  by  God :  whom  I  honour,  reverence,  and 
love ;  and  know  by  the  scripture  what  I  owe  unto  them, 

Rom.  xiii.  6.  to  Say,  both  goods  and  life.  Rom.  xiii.  Ephes.  vi. 

3oci."  lib.  xi.       Farther,  what  man's  laws  giveth.  Cod.  Lib.  xi.  Tit.  74. 

Fit.  74  75  o  ' 

75.  I  would  all  men  should  observe.  The  subjects  of  every 
civil  wealth  must  bear  the  charges  and  burden  that  is 
necessary  for  the  preservation  thereof,  and  must  not  refuse 
to  pay  tribute  unto  the  superior  powers,  under  the  pretence 
of  a  christian  liberty ;  but  pay  it  without  grudge,  what- 
soever lawfully  and  of  duty  is  demanded ;  remembering, 
the  liberty  that  Christ  hath  given  us  is  deliverance  from 
sin,  from  death  eternal,  the  horror  of  hell ;  and  to  restore 
us  to  everlasting  life ;  and  not  to  deliver  us  from  the  obe- 
Matt.  xxii.  dience  of  princes  in  such  civil  cases.  Matt.  xxii.  Luke  xx. 

Rom.  xiii.  "  Give  the  thing  to  Caesar  that  is  due  to  Caesar, 
and  to  God  the  thing  due  to  God." 

Christ  putteth  difference  between  those  two  great  lords, 
God  and  the  civil  magistrate,  that  people  should  beware 
they  give  not  the  thing  that  is  due  to  the  one  unto  the 
other.  But  this  order  is  changed :  for  where  God  com- 
mandeth  to  give  tribute  and  other  exactions,  helps,  or 
subsidies  unto  Caesar,  the  people  are  made  so  blind  by 
the  falsehood  of  antichrist's  ministers,  that  they  will  rather 
give  a  gold  crown  to  the  building  of  an  abbey,  foun- 
dation of  a  chantry,  or  for  a  mass  of  requiem,  than  one 
silver  penny  for  the  defence  of  their  commonwealth.  And 
the  thing  that  is  due  to  God,  they  give  unto  Caesar,  or 
the  civil  magistrate ;  to  say,  their  belief  and  knowledge  of 


VIII.] 


THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


365 


God.  This  is  only  due  unto  God  and  his  word,  and  not 
to  king  nor  emperor,  or  any  other  magistrate.  Thus  is 
to  change  God's  institution. 

We  see  daily,  how  the  princes  of  the  world  persecute 
the  gospel  and  the  gospel-like  use  of  the  sacraments.  We 
pervert,  therefore,  God's  law;  which  commandeth  to  give 
tribute  to  princes  of  the  commonwealth  for  the  preservation 
thereof,  and  in  matters  of  religion  to  give  ourselves,  both 
body  and  soul,  unto  God ;  and  learn  not  only  by  the  scrip- 
ture to  love  the  superior  powers,  God's  ordinance,  but  also 
consider  other  examples,  where  as  he  shall  see  obedience  and 
love  of  the  subjects  to  their  prince  to  be  the  strength  of 
their  realm. 

Scipio  was  demanded,  when  he  came  in  warfare  into 
Africa,  how  he  durst  to  enter  so  strong  and  mighty  a  realm  I 
He  said,  "  the  obedience  of  his  soldiers."  For  they  were 
so  obedient,  that  if  he  bade  any  of  them  fall  from  the  top 
of  a  steeple  into  the  water,  they  would  not  have  disobeyed 
him.  See  the  order  and  concord  among  the  beasts  in  the 
air,  as  long  as  their  kingliveth;  among  the  cranes,  Plinius'  Pijn.  Nat.^ 
libro  10,  capit.  23.  Natur.  Hist.,  and  the  little  bees^  Vir- cap.  xxw. 

.  .  Virgil. 

gilius  Georgicorum,  lib.  4.  Now,  if  they  govern  not  the  peo-  Georg.  lib. 
pie  well,  which  be  their  brothers,  they  may  read  their  own  Eccies.  x. 
damnation,  Ecclesiastes  ix.  x.  Ezechiel  xix.  Hieremy  xxxix.  Ezek.xix.i. 
xhi. ;  and  likewise  the  ire  of  God,  that  they  hearkened  not  7. 
to  the  voice  of  the  preacher,  Deut.  xvii.  14!"^ ' 

It  is,  therefore,  the  office  of  every  magistrate  to  learn 
how  to  reign  over  the  people  by  the  law  of  God,  and 
to  desire  wisdom  of  him,  to  know  and  follow  the  things 
that  appertain  to  the  ministration  of  the  commonwealth. 
For  of  him  alone  cometh  all  wisdom.  James  i.  Ps.  cxxvii. 
Thus  knew  the  godly  rulers,  and  were  fortunate  in  their 
governance.  2  Reg.  vi.  vii.  3  Reg.  iii.  If  the  magistrate  [2  Sam.  vi. 
would  read  every  morning,  before  he  entreat  any  matter  iii.'] 
for  the  commonwealth,  the  101st  Psalm,  it  should  lead  him 
to  a  singular  wisdom  and  marvellous  dexterity  in  judgment. 

P  Quando  proficiscantur  consentiunt,  volant  ad  prospiciendum  alte, 
ducem  quern  sequantur  eligunt,  &c.    C.  Plin.  Hist.  p.  174.] 

P   Rege  incolumi  mens  omnibus  una  est ; 

Amisso,  rupere  fidem :  constructaque  mella 

Diripuere  ipsse,  et  crates  solvere  favorum.  Virg.  G.  iv.  214.] 


366  A   DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

The  people  should  daily  pray  for  their  magistrates; 
for  of  them  dependeth  the  peace  and  tranquillity  of  the 
iTim.ii.  2.  Commonwealth.    1  Tim.  ii.  Psalm  xx.  xxi.    It  is  a  great 
xxi.'   '     iniquity  for  people  to  neglect  their  office  herein.    There  be 
proper  psalms  written  by  the  prophet  David,  that  appertain 
unto  this  purpose  :   as  the  creation,  coronation,  or  inau- 
"1  Chron.    guration  of  the  magistrate,  Psalm  ex.,  where  people  made 
KXV111.XX1X.J  suppKcation  at  the  coronation  of  king  Salomon,  1  Par.  xxviii. 

xxix.,  for  a  prosperous  governance  of  the  commonwealth : 
when  the  magistrate  shall  take  any  battle  or  war  in  hand. 
Psalm  XX. :  when  God  giveth  victory,  xxi. :  and  so  for 
all  other  necessaries,  that  they  may  defend  the  orphahngs 
and  poor  widows  with  all  other  oppressed  wrongfully.  For 
the  palace  of  a  prince,  or  a  magistrate,  should  be  the  refuge 
and  sanctuary  of  the  poor,  where  as  they  might  offer  boldly, 
as  before  God,  their  griefs  and  oppressions. 

So  it  appeareth  in  the  prayer  of  the  people  for  king 
'sai.ixxii.1.  Salomon,  Psalm  ci.,  saying.  Da,  Deus,  regi  judicia  tua ; 
that  is  to  say,  "  Give,  O  God,  thy  judgments  unto  the 
king."  For  no  magistrate  can  govern  without  some  form 
of  judgment  and  certain  laws.  But  because  all  judicials 
and  decrees,  statutes  and  laws  made  by  man,  doth  many 
times  fail,  either  for  their  own  proper  imperfection,  either 
by  the  partial  and  corrupt  ministration  of  the  judge;  the 
people  desired  God  to  give  their  king  his  judgments,  which 
are  written  in  his  laws,  and  those  the  magistrate  must 
observe,  Deut.  i.  x.  and  xvi. ;  as  Moses  did,  Exod.  xviii. 
Levit.  xxiv.  Num.  xv.  Josua  i.  By  the  which  words  we 
know,  that  all  godly  laws  should  be  asked  and  sought  out 
of  the  scripture. 

The  sum  and  conclusion  of  this  fifth  precept,  and  all 
that  I  have  spoken  in  it  is :  that  such  as  the  Lord  hath 
appointed  in  the  earth  over  us  to  rule,  those  we  must 
reverence,  honour,  and  obey,  with  all  fear  and  love ;  and 
that  we  derogate  nothing  of  their  dignity  with  contempt, 
contumacy,  or  unkindness.  For  seeing  God  would  his  ordi- 
nance that  he  hath  instituted  to  be  inviolated,  it  is  our 
office  to  observe  the  degrees  and  order  of  pre-eminence  as 
he  hath  instituted. 


IX.] 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


367 


CAPUT  IX. 

THE   SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  sJialt  not  hill. 

I  SAID  before,  that  concord  and  peace  best  preserved 
always  the  commonwealth,  which  dependeth  of  the  love  of 
God  and  our  neighbours.  Therefore  doth  God,  immediately 
after  the  institution  of  the  commonwealth  and  civil  assem- 
blance  of  his  people,  before  set  in  order,  and  every  man 
appointed  to  a  certain  place  and  vocation :  the  one  to  be 
the  father,  the  other  son ;  the  one  to  be  the  master,  the 
other  servant ;  the  one  to  be  a  disciple,  and  the  other  an 
instructor;  the  one  to  be  the  younger,  and  the  other  the 
elder.  And  each  of  these  knoweth  by  the  precept  and 
commandment  afore,  what  his  office  is,  and  how  he  should 
live  in  his  vocation. 

In  this  precept  he  removeth  the  occasion  of  discord  The  purpose 
and  debate,  that  might  happen  between  the  members  of  this  com- 
this  commonwealth  by  reason  of  murder  and  manslaughter. 
Therefore  forbiddeth  he  all  injuries,  violence,  force,  and 
other  uncharitable  means,  wherewithal  we  might  hurt  our 
neighbour  s  body  ;  and  likewise  requireth,  that  in  case  we 
can  do  any  thing  for  the  help  of  our  neighbour,  we  dili- 
gently apply  our  service  to  his  use,  and  to  procure  the 
things  that  appertain  unto  his  tranquillity,  to  save  him 
from  adversities,  and  to  give  him  our  helping  hand,  when 
his  troubles  shall  require ;  seeing  there  is  nothing  more  dear 
to  man  than  his  body  and  life,  as  the  law  of  nature  teacheth. 
God  by  this  law  defendeth  it  against  the  devil  and  devil- 
ish wilful  hatred  of  man,  that  sometime  is  so  carried  away 
with  aflFections  of  the  flesh,  that  he  honoureth  not  this  pre- 
cept; but  contemneth  the  image  of  God  in  his  neighbour, 
hateth  his  own  flesh,  and  executeth  a  beastly  rage  and 
tyranny  in  his  brother's  body,  more  like  a  furious  lion  and 
mad  dog  than  a  reasonable  creature ;  not  only  to  the  de- 
struction of  him  that  is  killed,  but  to  the  loss  and  perdi- 
tion of  his  own  body  and  soul  for  ever,  if  he  repent  not. 


368  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

God  in  this  commandment  forbid  deth  not  only  the 
murder  done  with  the  hand,  but  also  the  murder  of  the 
att.  V.21.  heart  and  of  the  tongue.    Matt.  v.  1  John  iii.    In  the 
Johnui.   j^yy^gj,  ^Q^Q  of  -tiie  hand  is  forbidden  all  private  revenging 

between  private  persons,  that  will  be  judges  in  their  own 
cause ;  which  begin  with  blows,  then  followeth  hurting  of 
some  members  of  the  body,  or  clean  destruction  of  it;  at 
the  last,  murder  of  the  whole  body.  Some  kill  with  the 
sword,  some  with  poison,  some  with  enchantments ;  some 
dissemble,  as  though  they  played,  and  so  in  bourding^  putteth 
him  out  of  the  way  that  he  hateth.  Some  kill  not  them- 
selves, nor  will  not  be  seen  to  break  the  peace ;  but  shoot 
their  bolts  by  other  men,  and  wound  and  kill  him  that 
is  an  hundred  mile  from  him.    These  the  laws  punish  with 

en.  ix.  6.  death,  Gen.  ix.  Matt.  xxvi. ;  likewise  the  laws  of  men. 
latt.xxvi.  j^^^.^    j^.^  ^.^ 

Such  as  procure  and  search  the  death  of  man  privily, 
the  law  punisheth  more  cruelly ;  not  with  the  sword,  neither 
fire,  or  any  other  solemn  manner  of  death ;  but  he  should 
Jst^iib.  iv.  inclosed  in  a  trunk  with  a  dog,  a  cock,  a  snake,  and 
an  ape,  and  so  be  cast  into  water,  and  die  amongst  these 
rigorous  beasts^ 

Those  yet  less  offend  than  such  as  conspire  the  death 
of  any  prince,  or  governor  of  the  commonwealth,  or  by 
treason  intend  the  destruction  of  the  commonwealth,  or  any 
man  that  governeth  therein.  Those  have  their  pain  of 
ust.iibMv.  death  appointed  Lege  Juliana,  Justin.  Lib.  iv.  Tit.  18.  de 
ubiicisju-  puMicis  JudicUs^.  So  hath  the  law  respect  of  the  persons, 
and  will  know  who  is  killed,  a  private  person,  or  governor; 

[}  Bourding:  mocking,  mock-fighting.] 

\y  Alia  deinde  lex  asperrimum  crimen  nova  poena  persequitur,  quae 
Pompeia  de  parricidiis  vocatur :  qua  cavetur,  ut  si  quis  parentis  aut 
filii,  aut  omnino  adfinitatis  ejus  quae  nuncupatione  parentum  continetur, 
fata  praeparaverit  (sive  clam,  sive  palam  id  ausus  fuerit),  necnon  is  cujus 
dolo  malo  id  factum  est,  vel  conscius  criminis  existit,  licet  extraneus  sit, 
pcena  parricidii  puniatur,  et  neque  gladio  neque  ignibus,  neque  uUi  alii 
solenni  pcEnse  subjiciatur;  sed  insutus  cuUeo  cum  cane  et  gallo  gaUinaceo, 
et  vipera,  et  simia,  et  inter  eas  ferales  angustias  comprehensus,  vel  in 
vicinum  mare  vel  in  amnem  projiciatur.  Corp.  Jur.  Civ.  Institut. 
Lib.  IV.  Tit.  18.  §.  6.] 

Lex  Julia  majestatis,  quae  in  eos,  qui  contra  Imperatorem  vel 
Rempublicam  aliquid  moliti  sunt,  suum  vigorem  extendit.    Ibid.  §.  3.] 


IX.] 


THE   SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


369 


a  man,  or  a  woman ;  one  of  his  own  blood,  or  a  stranger ; 
that  the  pain  may  be  according.  In  the  ministration  whereof 
the  magistrate  or  prince  should  always  observe  justice,  as 
well  against  one  man  as  the  other,  without  respect  of  per- 
sons ;  remembering  that  it  appertaineth  nothing  unto  their 
office  to  save  or  damn,  to  give  one  a  charter  of  life,  and 
put  another  that  hath  done  the  like  offence  to  death. 

The  magistrate  is  but  a  minister  of  the  law,  and  is 
bound  for  the  law's  sake  to  suffer  him  to  live,  that  trans- 
gresseth  not  the  law :  so  is  he  bound  to  put  him  to  death, 
that  hath  offended  the  law.    So  God  commandeth,  Deut.  Deut.  xix. 

•  •  13 

xix.,  that  the  judge  shall  have  no  mercy  upon  the  offender, 
and  sheweth  three  causes  why :  the  one,  that  he  should 
take  the  ill  out  of  the  commonwealth ;  the  other  is  a  pro- 
mise of  God's  grace  for  his  so  doing ;  the  third  is,  that 
other  might  fear  to  do  the  same.  We  have  examples  there- 
of in  the  captains  that  were  hanged  against  the  sun.  Num.  Numb.  xxv. 
XXV.,  and  of  Mary*,  the  emperor  Moses'  sister,  that,  when  *' 
she  was  a  leper,  was  compelled  to  obey  the  law,  as  well  as 
the  poorest  of  the  congregation.    Num.  xii.  Numb.  xii. 

It  is  ill  done,  therefore,  of  princes  and  magistrates,  to 
give  charters  and  privileges  to  such  as  by  the  law  should 
die ;  and  a  shrewd  example  for  other,  that  think,  when 
need  is,  I  shall  have  friends  likewise  to  beg  me  my  pardon^ 
In  case  it  cannot  be  obtained,  he  that  laboureth  in  the  cause 
will  scarce  be  contented  that  his  request  can  take  none 
effect,  the  matter  being  of  no  greater  weight,  than  before 
by  other  obtained  grace.  Thus,  in  dispensing  of  an  ill  fact, 
is  both  God  and  man  offended ;  and  the  prince  or  magis- 
trate that  dispenseth  with  the  fault  of  another,  maketh 
himself  culpable  of  the  same  crime,  as  is  written,  Prov.  Prov.  xvii. 
xvii.  Sap.  vi.  wlsd.  vi.  i. 

Of  the  other  part,  the  judges,  that  condemn  the  right 
and  deliver  the  wrong,  commit  the  same  horrible  offence, 
and  worthy  by  the  law  to  suffer  the  pain  that  is  due 
unto  him  that  should  for  his  offences  die :  likewise,  should 
such,  as  by  letters  or  otherwise  defence*  or  procure  the  let 

Mary:  Miriam.] 

Likewyce  souche  as  be  letters,  or  otherwyce  defice,  A.  Lilcewyse 
shulde  such  as  by  letters  or  otherwyse  defence,  B.  Like  paine  should 
such  suffer,  as  by  letters  or  other  defence,  C] 

r  1  24 

j  riOOl'ER.J 


870  A    DECLARATION    OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

or  delay  of  justice  in  saving  or  reprieving  the  offender, 
Vk^hich  is  an  horrible  offence,  and  daily  used,  (the  more  pity!) 
in  every  assize  and  sessions.  They  pretend  a  work  of  charity 
and  good  deed  to  save  a  man,  that  is  worthy  of  death ; 
but  the  judge  of  all  equity,  mercy,  and  justice  saith,  they 
should  not  extend  their  mercy  to  such  a  person  nor  in 
such  a  case,  but  commandeth  without  mercy  to  put  them 
to  death  that  justice  condemneth. 

Men  will  be  in  an  ill  cause  more  merciful  than  the 
fountain  self  of  mercy  :  but  where  as  they  should  be  merciful 
in  remitting  a  private  displeasure  done  unto  them  by  a 
poor  man,  then  will  they  execute  not  only  justice,  but  also 
tyranny.  So  pervert  they  the  law  of  God,  and  judge  ill 
good  and  good  ill,  and  likewise  reprehend  the  ordinance 
of  God.  God  gave  certain  privileges,  that  whosoever  killed 
against  his  will  might  flee  to  a  sanctuary  to  save  his  life ; 
but  he  that  killed  of  malice  or  of  a  pretended  purpose, 
might  be  brought  to  the  gallows,  not  only  out  of  the 

Dent.  xix.  sanctuary,  but  from  the  altar.  Deut.  xix.  And  this  is  not 
only  the  law  of  Moses,  but  also  the  law  of  Christ,  that 

Watt.  xxvi.  saith,  Matt.  xxvi.  capit.  "  He  that  striketh  with  the  sword, 
with  the  sword  shall  perish."  When  it  pleaseth  God  such 
a  transgressor  to  be  taken,  the  judge  that  judgeth,  and 
the  person  that  is  judged,  should  think  this  is  the  time 
that  the  commonwealth  should  be  delivered  from  an  ill 
person  :  and  he  that  must  suffer  should  think,  This  is  the 
time  that  God  will  punish  me  for  my  sin,  and  call  me 
to  his  mercy. 

The  prince  should  suffer  the  ordinance  of  God  to  take 
place.  For,  as  Terence  saith :  Male  docet  facilitas  multa, 
Heautontim.  that  is  to  say,  "  Over-much  pity  teacheth  many 
things  ill the  which  vice  he  teacheth  men  beware  of  in 
Hecy.  Etsi  ego  meis  me  omnibus  scio  etiam  adprime  oh- 
servantem,  sed  non  adeo  ut  facilitas  mea  illorum  corrumpat 
animosK  Therefore  he  that  would  purchase  a  charter,  should 
rather  come  to  the  prison  to  comfort  the  afflicted  man, 
and  say  :  '  This  trouble  is  the  preacher  sent  from  God  to 
bring  thee  to  acknowledge  of  thy  sin,  and  to  call  thee  to 
penance.    Thou  seest  how  the  devil  hath  prevailed  against 

['  Though  I  know  myself  to  be  especially  attentive  to  all  my  friends, 
yet  not  so  as  to  let  my  easiness  of  temper  corrupt  their  minds.] 


THE   SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


371 


thee.  Following  the  blindness  of  thine  affection,  thou  gavest 
place  to  the  devil,  who  delighteth  in  the  ill  doings  of  men. 
Therefore  thou  must  suffer  the  pain  of  the  lawj  and  from 
henceforth  thou  shalt  give  no  place  more  unto  him.  Know 
Christ,  and  believe  that  in  him  thou  shalt  suffer  no  pain 
for  thy  transgression,  but  only  the  death  of  the  body.  He 
shall  now  cai'ry  thee  from  the  gallows  into  eternal  joy,  as 
he  did  the  thief  on  the  cross.  Obey  therefore  the  com- 
mandment of  God  in  this  public  ministration  of  justice. 
For  now  is  thy^  time  to  die,  not  that  God  hateth  thee, 
but  of  a  singular  love  that  thou  shouldest  hurt  no  more 
thyself  and  other.  Beg  with  me  in  Christ  thy  charter  of 
God,  and  his  mercy  shall  give  thee  eternal  life,  which 
thou  mayest  boldly  by  the  law  acclaim  f — and  not  to  put 
him  in  a  false  hope  of  man's  remission,  that  can  give  no 
pardon  at  all,  if  they  do  well. 

In  case  a  private  person,  a  man  that  loveth  peace, 
happen  to  be  oppressed  at  any  time  of  those  breakers  of 
peace,  or  robbers  by  the  highway-side  or  otherways,  can- 
not defend  his  life  and  body  without  using  resistance ;  and 
the  oppressor  will  not  be  content,  neither  with  reason  nei- 
ther with  fair  words,  neither  the  man  oppressed  may  in  no 
wise  find  place  to  avoid  the  fury  of  this  oppressor  in  de- 
fending his  own  life ;  if  he  kill  his  adversaries,  he  no  more 
offendeth  God's  laws  neither  man's  laws,  than  though  he 
killed  a  wolf  or  mad  dog ;  as  Moses  killed  the  Egyptian, 
or  as  the  godly  magistrate  killeth  privately  the  thief,  or 
openly  defendeth  himself  by  war,  when  he  cannot  main- 
tain or  recover  the  right  of  his  commonwealth  otherwise. 
Then  to  use  the  extreme  remedy  of  battle  he  offendeth 
not.  So  is  it  to  be  judged  of  those  that  will  oppress  by 
violence  other,  that  either  offend  not,  either  be  ready  to 
offer  their  causes  to  the  vicars  of  God,  the  judges  of  the 
earth.  If  they  find  their  own  death,  it  is  to  be  judged 
that  it  is  none  other  thing  than  the  just  judgment  of  God, 
that  the  one  should  defend  his  life,  and  the  other  perish. 
A  great  ill  is  it,  that  those  ill  men  that  dare  not  bring 
their  cause  to  be  judged  before  the  lawful  magistrate,  are 
permitted  so  licentiously  to  trouble  the  peaceable  people  of 
a  realm  without  punishment ;  which  is  against  God's  laws 

[2  Thy,  A,  thys,  B  and  C] 

24—2 


372  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

and  man's  laws,  and  the  occasion  of  great  murder,  which 
provoketh  the  ire  of  God  against  the  magistrates  for  the 
sufferance  of  so  great  an  evil. 

I  know  how  men  that  govern  after  Aristotle''s  politics, 
will  excuse  this  evil.  They  will  say,  that  laws  must  be  made 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  people  to  whom  they  are 
prescribed.  But  God's  laws  saith,  man  must  obey  the  law, 
and  not  the  law  man.  If  they  be  Christians,  it  shall  not 
be  a  servitude  to  live  after  the  laws  of  Christ,  who  should 
govern  chiefly  both  the  superior  and  the  inferior.  And 

'oiit.  lib.  V.  so  saith  also  Aristotle  \  Lib.  v.  Polit.  cap.  9.  Non  est  ser- 
Vitus  mvere  ad  formam  reipuUicw,  sed  salus  '.  I  Englished  this 
the  second  verse  before.  It  should  not  be  difficile'  to  re- 
move this  evil,  if  every  man  that  shall  see  the  peace 
broken  in  a  city,  had  authority  to  sunder  the  persons  and 
bind  the  peace-breakers  to  a  peace  by  their  words ;  and 
he  that  brake  his  faith  and  promise  to  him  that  required 
it,  to  lose  his  head,  in  the  name  of  a  pain,  as  it  is  used 
in  some  commonwealths. 

Murder  is  committed  likewise  by  hand  by  such  as  are 
every  man's  men  for  money  ;  as  these  runagates  and  lance- 
knights  are,  that  sell  both  body  and  soul  to  such  as  will 
hire  them,  they  care  not  whether  the  cause  be  wrong  or 
right.  They  should  neither  receive  by  the  law  of  God, 
neither  any  christian  man  give  them  any  thing,  except  the 
cause  be  good.  If  it  be,  every  man  is  bound  to  defend 
it ;  if  not,  no  man.  This  cannot  be  known  of  all  men  ; 
but  if  the  cause  be  naught,  God  excuseth  no  man ;  but 
esteemeth  him  a  murderer  of  his  own  life,  and  the  magis- 
trate that  hireth  him,  the  occasion  thereof. 

Murder  of         This  precept  is  not  understood  onlv  of  external  murder, 

he  heart. 

but  forbiddeth  also  the  murder  of  the  heart ;  which  though  it 
deserve  no  punishment  in  the  world,  yet  God  accounteth 
Jen.  iv.  6.  it  worthy  of  death :  as  it  is  to  be  seen.  Gen.  iv.,  where  as 
God  accused  Cain  for  the  murder  of  his  heart,  before  he 
laid  hands  on  Abel  to  kill  him.     So  doth  Saint  John, 

\}  Ov  yap  SeT  o'UaBai  hovKdav  eivai  to  ^r]v  npos  Tqv  nokiTfLUV,  aWa 
acoTTjplav.    Aristot.  Politic.  Lib.  v.  cap.  9.  ad  finem.  Jense,  1G60,  p.  557-] 

P  It  is  no  servitude  to  live  after  the  form  of  the  commonwealth,  but 
safety.    These  words  are  in  the  text  in  C] 
Difficile,  A  and  B,  hard,  C] 


IX.] 


THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


373 


1  Epistle  iii.  say,  "  He  that  hateth  his  brother  is  a  raur-  i  John  iii. 
derer."  ^"-^ 

Then  is  there  the  murder  of  the  tongiie  worthy  death  Murder  of 
before  God,  not  only  of  the  body,  but  also  of  the  soul; 
the  which  is  committed  by  a  cursing,  slandering,  and  a  con- 
vicious  tongue.    Of  a  cursing  tongue  Christ  speaketh.  Matt.  Matt.  v.  22. 
V. :  "  He  that  saith  to  his  brother,  Raah,  is  guilty  of  coun- 
cil     the  which  word,  Raah,  in  English  signifieth  ill  or 
affliction.    Christ  meaneth  there,  that  he  only  is  not  a  mur- 
derer, that  by  hand  killed  his  brother ;  but  also  he  that 
curseth  or  desireth  evil  to  his  neighbour :  as  those  do  that 
bid  the  pestilence,  the  fever  quartern.  Saint  Antone's  evil, 
or  such  other  execrations,  and  should  be  punished  as  heretics 
and  blasphemers  of  God ;   as  ye  may  read,  Levit.  xx.,  Lcvit.  xx.  9. 
Gen.  xxvii.,  Levit.  xix.,  1  Cor.  v.,  1  Pet.  iv.     Such  evil  Gen.  xxvu. 
sayers  hath  no  part  in  the  kingdom  of  God.     He  that 
calleth  his  brother  "  fool,"  that  is  to  say,  contemn  him, 
mock  him,  or  as  men  call  it  now-a-days,  lowting  of  a  man, 
committeth  such  murder  as  is  worthy  hell-fire  and  eternal 
damnation.     The  which  vice  is  reprehended,  Psal.  Ivi.,  and 
was  so  abhorred  of  the  gentiles,  that  many  would  rather 
suffer  death,  than  sustain  the  slanders  of  a  pestilence  tongue. 

The  derision  of  the  simple,  how  great  a  sin  it  is,  and 
equivalent  with  murder,  we  see  by  the  punishment  of  Cham, 
who  was  so  cursed  of  his  father  Noah,  that  his  posterity 
suffered  for  his  offence.  Maledictus  Cham ;  servus  servorum 
erit  fratrihus  suis :  that  is  to  say,  "Cursed  be  Cham,  who 
shall  be  unto  his  brothers  the  servant  of  servants."  Gen.  ix.   Gen.  ix.  25. 

Samson  was  accounted  of  the  Philistians  for  a  fool,  but 
he  would  rather  die  than  suffer  that  opprobry  unrevenged. 
J udic.  xvi.    David  was  lowted  of  Michol,  Saul's  daughter,  judg.  xvi. 
but  she  was  made  therefore  barren  all  her  life.  2  Reg.  vi.  2  Sam.  vi. 
How  David  revenged  the  contumely  of  his  ambassadors 
contemned  of  the  Ammonites,  read  3  Reg.  capit.  x.,  and  2  sam.  x.  7. 
then  thou  shalt  perceive  that  mocking  is  none  other  but 
murder.    In  the  fourth  book  of  the  Kings,  capit.  ii.,  see  how  2  Kings  ii. 
the  boys  mocked  the  preacher  of  God's  word,  Elizeus  the 
prophet,  and  how  God  punished  the  same  with  death  more 
cruel  than  the  magistrate  punisheth  the  murderer. 

Of  these  places  we  see  what  murder  is,  and  how  many 
ways  it  is  committed.    The  occasion  thereof  is  ire,  envy, 


374  A    DECLARATION    OF    THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


hatred,  disdain,  indignation,  and  such  Hke.    We  see  also 
'od  lib* 'ix^'       P^^"  appointed  by  God's  laws  and  man's  laws.     Lib.  iv, 
Inst.  Cod.  Lib.  ix.     But  of  these  places  infer  not,  that  it 
is  not  lawful  for  the  magistrate  to  punish  the  evil  doer 
by  death ;   the  father  to  correct  his  child ;  the  master 
his  servant  ;    or  the  preachers  the  vice  of  the  people. 
These  laws  appertain  unto  all  private  persons,  and  not 
unto  such  as  God  hath  given  jurisdiction  over  other.  Of 
lom.  xiii.  4.  the  magistrates  we  have  Rom.  xiii.,  which*  offend  not  in 
!ph.vi.  4.   punishing  the  evil  :   of  the  fathers'  correction,  Eph.  vi. 
ictsvii.  51.  Stephane  called  the  Jews  traitors  and  murderers.  Acts  vii., 
Jai.  iii.  1.    and  Paul  the  Galatians  fools,  Gal.  iii. :  yet  offended  no- 
thing against  this  law,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill ; "  but  served 
the  place  of  their  vocations,  as  it  was  commanded  them 
by  God. 

Anger  is  no  sin,  so  that  the  original  thereof  and  the 
end  whither  it  extendeth  be  virtuous,  and  proceed  with 
charity.  Moses  was  angry,  and  brake  the  tables  of  God 
in  his  zealous  and  godly  passion :  he  put  the  idolaters  to 
death,  but  the  end  was  to  destroy  vice,  and  to  maintain 
virtue.  So  was  David,  so  was  Paul,  so  was  Christ :  but  it 
sprang  of  a  love  towards  God,  and  extended  to  a  virtuous 
end,  the"  punishment  of  vice  and  commendation  of  virtue. 


CAPUT  X. 

THE   SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shalt  commit  none  adultery. 
leendof        That  there  should  never  fail  succession  and  posterity 

19  l&W  • 

to  preserve  the  commonwealth  that  God  had  ordained  for 
man,  as  well  before  his  fall  in  paradise,  as  after  in  this 
vale  of  misery;  he  ordained  matrimony  between  man  and 
woman,  which  is  the  institution  and  ordinance  of  God, 
approved  by  the  law  of  nature,  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the 
law  of  man,  and  the  law  of  the  gospel :  meaning  and  willing 
this  ordinance  to  be  reverently  observed  of  all  men,  hath 

['  The,  A  and  C,  to,  B.] 


X.] 


THE   SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


375 


given  this  precept,  that  no  man  should  dishonour,  defile, 
or  contaminate  himself  with  any  undecent  or  intemperate 
kind  of  life. 

This  is  the  end  and  purpose  why  this  law  was  given ; 
to  avoid  a  dissolute,  common,  and  libidinous  life,  with  other 
uncleanliness  ;  to  love  and  keep  chastity  and  purity  of  life,  Wherein 
whi#h  consisteth  either  in    sincere  virginity,  or  faithful  consisteth. 
matrimony,  as  Chrysostom  writeth,  Homil.  de  invent,  cruc.  HomiUade 

,  ..  .  ....  7^77  inventione 

Jrrimus  gradus  cashtatis  est  smcera  mrgimtas,  secunaus  jiaele  cmcis. 

matrimonium ;  that  is  to  say,  "The  first  degree  of  chastity 

is  pure  virginity  ;  the  second,  faithful  matrimony  ^"  The 

same  division  of  chastity  approveth  the  scripture,  1  Cor.  i  Cor.  vii. 

vii.,  where  as  Paul  defineth  and  sheweth,  that  virginity 

is  a  chastity  of  the  body,  conjoined  with  the  purity  of  the 

mind,  by  these  words  :    Ccelehs  cogitat,  quce  Domini  sunt, 

quomodo  sanda  sit  corpore  ef  spiritu;  that  is  to  say,  "  She 

that  is  unmarried  thinketh  the  things  that  be  of  God,  how 

she  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and  in  spirit."    Of  matrimony 

and  the  purity  thereof  it  is  written,  Heb.  xiii.,  Ilonorabile  Heb.  xiii.  4. 

est  inter  omnes  matrimonium  et  cuhih  impollutum ;  that  is 

to  say,  "  Matrimony  is  honourable  among  all  (nations),  and 

the  bed  imponuted."" 

No  man  should  continue  in  a  sole  life,  but  such  as  hath 
no  need  of  matrimony,  following  the  word  of  God  and 
ordinance  of  man's  nature,  according  to  the  examples  of 
the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  the  apostles ;  which  were  not 
excluded  from  matrimony,  although  they  wei'e  ministers  of 
the  church  ;  nor  never  made  law  to  exclude  their  successors, 
but  reciteth  the  matrimony  of  the  ministers  among  the 
virtues  and  necessary  gifts  that  is  required  in  the  minister, 
]  Tim.  iii..  Tit.  i.,  and  calleth  the  prohibition  of  matri- 1  Tim.  iii.  a. 

...      I  Tim.  iv.  1. 

mony  the  doctrine  of  the  devil :  the  which  the  iniquity 
of  our  doctors,  that  defend  with  sword  and  fire  the  sole 
life  of  the  ministers,  would  put  from  them  unto  the  old 
heretics  the  Tatians',  who  forbid  matrimony  to  all  men. 

The  passage  will  be  found  in  the  Opus   Imperf.   in  Matth. 
HomU.  xxxii.] 

P  Tatian  was  a  disciple  of  Justin  Martyr.  His  followers  were  ascetics 
of  the  severest  caste.  They  condemned  the  use  of  wine  and  women,  and 
were  therefore  called  Encratites.  For  the  opinions  of  Tatian,  see 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,  Epiphanius,  and  Origen.  Or  the  English 
reader  may  consult  Mosheim,  (by  Soames,)  Vol.  i.  p.  187.] 


376  A    DECLARATION   OF   THE  TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH, 

And  they  damn  not  it,  but  only  forbid  it  to  the  ordex- 
of  ecclesiastical  ministers ;  as  though  they  damned  not 
matrimony,  because  they  forbid  it  not  to  all,  but  to  some. 
It  is  like  as  if  the  physician  should  say  to  two  men  of 
one  age,  one  disposition,  and  sick  in  one  disease,  that  the 
medicine  that  healeth  the  one  will  kill  the  other.  But 
the  scripture  is  against  them,  and  also  the  fathers  for^  the 
most  part.  The  council  of  Nice  condescended  to  the 
mind  and  sentence  of  Paphnutius',  that  said,  faithful  mar- 
riage was  chastity ;  and  not  unto  superstitious  persons,  that 
always  dream  some  novelties  to  be  accounted  glorious. 
The  temerity  of  these  laws  and  law-makers  hath  been  godly 
and  learnedly  all  times  confounded.  It  sufficeth  us  loyal- 
lement  and  with  good  faith  to  hear  this  commandment, 
"  Commit  no  adultery which  forbiddeth  not  only  to  ab- 
stain from  another  man's  wife,  the  which  both  God's  laws 
and  man's  laws,  Christians'  and  gentiles',  punisheth  with 
death,  Deut.  xxii.,  Levit.  xxvi. ;  Lib.  Instit.  iv.  Tit.  De 
puhllcis  Judiciis"  :  also  the  desire  and  lust  of  the  heart 
is  forbidden,  Exod.  xx.,  Deut.  v..  Matt.  v. 

Further,  all  other  women  are  forbidden,  whether  it  be 
virgin,  widow,  or  other  common  woman''.  The  policy  of 
Moses  put  to  death  only  the  man  and  woman  [married j*,  that 
committed  adultery.  Howbeit  all  kinds  of  adultery  in  this 
precept  are  forbidden,  as  Paul  writeth,  1  Corinth,  v.,  where 
he  equalleth  and  maketh  like  fornication  and  rape  with 
adultery,  (read  the  place,)  and  biddeth  to  flee  fornication. 
So  doth  he,  Ephesians  v.,  and  saith,  that  the  ire  of  God 

l^'  See  Sozomen,  Lib.  i.  cap,  2.3.  and  Socrates,  Lib.  i  cap.  11.  where 
Paphnutius  is  described  as  strenuously  and  successfully  opposing  at 
the  Council  of  Nice  the  attempt  to  compel  the  married  clergy  to  separate 
from  their  wives.  Baronius  (58.  §.  21.)  denies  the  truth  of  these  state- 
ments by  Sozomen  and  Socrates,  and  maintains  that  the  discipline  of  the 
church  was  then  otherwise,  all  the  clergy  being  bound  to  continence. 
Father  Lupus,  however,  acknowledged  the  history  of  Paphnutius'  conduct 
herein  at  the  Council  of  Nice  to  be  true.  (Lup.  in  Can.  p.  114.)  But 
Valesius  in  his  notes  upon  Socrates  expresses  doubts  upon  the  subject.] 

\j'  Lex  Julia  de  adulteris  coercendis,  quse  non  solum  temeratores  alie- 
narum  nuptiarum  gladio  punit,  sed  eos  qui,  &c.  Corp.  Juris  Civ.  Instit. 
Lib.  IV.  Tit.  18.  (p.  51.)] 

"  To  transgress  this  commandment "  is  here  added  in  C] 

["  Supplied  from  C] 


X.] 


THE   SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT, 


377 


accustometh  to  come  for  such  sins.     Likewise  we  see  by 

the  punishment  of  fornication,   and  oppression  of  virgins, 

which  is  not  inferior  to  adultery :  the  city  of  Sichem  and 

the  inhabitants  thereof  were  destroyed,  for  the  oppression 

of  Dina,  Jacob's  daughter,  Gen.  xxxiv.    Judas  commanded  Gen.  xxxiv. 

Thamar  the  widow  to  be  put  to  death  for  dishonouring  of 

widowhood.  Gen.  xxxviii.    Phineas  killed  Simri,  the  Israelite,  Gen.xxxviii. 

with  his  whore  Casbi  the  Midianite,  Numb.  xxv.    So  that  Numb.  xxv. 

all  kind  of  adultery  is  forbidden,  and  nothing  in  this  case  ^' 

to  be  admitted,  but  the  lawful  conjunction  between  man 

and  woman. 

But  this  is  not  all  that  this  precept  forbiddeth :  for  as 
it  forbiddeth  the  act  itself,  so  doth  it  the  adultery  of  the 
heart  and  of  the  eye ;  likewise  the  adultery  of  the  mouth, 
as  unchaste  and  filthy  communication ;  the  adultery  of  the 
hands,  that  provoketh  or  moveth  the  person  that  is  not 
his.  Salomon  saith,  "  He  shall  burn  his  coat  that  beareth 
fire  in  his  bosom ;  and  burn  his  feet  that  walketh  upon 
the  coals."  Here  is  forbidden  likewise  the  adultery  of  ap- 
parel ;  and  so  consequently  all  excess  of  meat  and  drink, 
and  other  occasions  that  are  inductions  to  this  ill,  and 
cometh  of  the  concupiscence  of  the  heart,  forbidden  in  the 
scripture. 

Peter  saith,  1  Pet.  iii.,  "  The  habit  and  apparel  of  a  i  Pet.  iii.  3. 
woman  shall  not  be  in  broided  and  splaid  hair  \  neither  in 
laying  on  of  gold,  or  costly  array."  Ye  see  in  our  time, 
that  many  bear  more  upon  their  backs  than  they  be  worth : 
a  woman  pampered  up  with  precious  stones  and  gold, 
knotted  behind  and  before  with  more  pearls  than  her 
husband  and  she  bestoweth  in  alms  all  days  of  their  life. 
And  other  sort,  that  lacketh  wherewithal  to  bestow  these 
charges,  are  a-dilling  and  burling  of  their  hair  a  longer 
time  than  a  godly  woman,  that  readeth  the  scripture  to 
follow  it,  is  in  apparelling  of  three  or  four  young  infants. 
If  this  were  only  in  the  woman,  it  were  the  less  harm; 
but  it  is  also  in  men :  for  there  is  not  as  much  as  he 
that  hath  but  forty  shillings  by  the  year,  but  is  as  long 

[j  In  brodyd  and  splayde  here,  A.  In  broyded  and  splayde  heere, 
B.  Imbrodered  and  splaid  heare,  C.  Broided  is  the  word  used  in  our 
Authorised  version  of  1  Tim.  ii.  9,  ed.  1611,  now  generally  printed 
broideyed.] 


378  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE  TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

in  the  morning  to  set  his  beard  in  an  order,  as  a  godly 
craftsman  would  be  in  looming  of  a  piece  of  kersey.  And 
not  only  they,  but  also  such  as  should  give  their  servants 
an  example  of  sobriety,  as  well  in  the  clergy,  as  among 
the  civil  governors  of  the  earth. 

I  speak  not  against  a  decent  and  seemly  apparel  of  man 
nor  woman,  every  person  in  his  degree ;  but  that  each  of 
them  should  avoid  the  excess  and  ill  thereof,  that  is  for- 
bidden in  God's  laws,  and  rather  study  to  commend  him- 
self by  virtues,  than  to  be  esteemed  by  his  apparel.  Thus 
doth  not  God  [only],  but  also  ethnicks  teach ;  as  Cicero, 
I.  Offic.  Adhibenda  est  munditia,  non  odiosa  mc  exquisita 
nimis,  tantum  quce  fugiat  agrestem  et  inlmmanam  negligen- 
tiam ;  that  is  to  say,  "  Such  a  means  should  be  kept  in 
apparel,  that  should  be  not  too  neat  nor  too  filthy,  but  such 
as  might  avoid  a  rude  and  beastly  negligence'  " 
att.  V.  29.  In  the  v.  Matt,  and  Luke  vi.  we  see  how  Christ  in- 
terpreteth  this  precept,  not  only  to  avoid  the  evil  itself, 
but  also  the  occasions  of  it ;  saying,  "  If  thine  eye  or  right 
hand  offend  thee,  cast  them  off where  as  Christ  sheweth, 
there  is  no  occasion  that  can  excuse  adultery  or  forni- 
cation. As  this  sin  hath  degrees  in  itself,  as  ye  see  and 
may  perceive  by  the  pains  rehearsed ;  so  is  it  more  offence 
in  one  person  than  in  the  other ;  more  in  age  than  in 
youth,  more  in  the  magistrate  or  prince  than  in  a  pri- 
vate person,  more  in  the  teacher  of  God's  word  than  in 
the  hearer. 

And  as  the  condition  of  the  persons  aggravate  the 
offence,  so  should  justice  aggravate  the  punishment  there- 
of ;  and  not  to  punish  the  one,  and  let  the  other  go.  There 
is  no  man  more  privileged  than  the  other.  As  justice  is 
executed  against  the  inferior,  so  should  it  be  against  the 
superior;  for  as  the  one  is  subject  unto  the  law  of  God, 
so  is  the  other. 

There  is  another  kind  of  adultery  forbidden  in  this 
[att.  V.  32.  precept,  which  Christ  speaketh  of,  Matthsei  v.  and  xix.  cap. 
^'     which  is  unlawful  divorcement  of  matrimony,  where  as  the  man 
putteth  away  the  woman,  or  the  woman  the  man  for  unlawful 
causes.    The  same  authority  hath  the  woman  to  put  away 


\}  Cic.  De  Officiis,  Lib.  i.  cap.  86.] 


X.] 


THE   SEVENTEl  COMMANDMENT. 


379 


the  man,  that  the  man  hath  to  put  away  the  woman.  Mark  Mark  x.  12. 
X.,  Christ  saith,  there  is  no  lawful  cause  to  dissolve  ma- 
trimony, but  adultery.  For  when  the  woman  giveth  the 
use  of  her  body  to  another  man,  she  is  no  more  her  first 
husband's  wife;  nor  the  husband  no  longer  the  husband 
of  his  wife,  than  he  observe  the  faith  of  matrimony  with 
her.  Wheresoever  this  fault  happen,  and  can  be  proved 
by  certain  signs  and  lawful  testimonies,  the  persons  may 
by  the  authority  of  God's  word,  and  ministry  of  the  ma- 
gistrates, be  separated''  so  one  from  the  other,  that  it  shall 
be  lawful  for  the  man  to  marry  another  wife,  and  the  wife 
to  marry  another  husband,  as  Christ  saith,  Matt.  v.  and  xix. 
So  that  the  man  shall  not  need  to  keep  at  home  with 
him  a  woman  that  is  no  more  his  than  another  man's ; 
neither  the  woman  such  a  husband,  as  is  no  more  hers 
than  another  woman's,  Mark  x. 

^Of  these  few  words  uncharitably  construed,  good  chris- 
tian reader,  there  is  by  ignorant  and  lascivious  persons 
much  controversy  risen  between  many  men :  not  by  such 
as  be  able  to  judge  and  give  sentence  in  the  matter;  but 
by  those,  that  neither  have  seen  my  work,  that  they  might 
with  knowledge  have  condemned  it,  or  with  charity  have 
sought  with  communication,  or  writing,  to  have  solicitate 
me  to  a  recantation  and  condemnation  of  my  judgment  in 
this  behalf ;  and  by  such  as  use  will  for  reason,  and  spite 
for  charity. 

Wherefore,  seeing  my  work  will  eftsoons  be  imprinted, 
as  my  friend  the  printer  advertiseth  me;  I  thought  good 
to  strengthen  and  succour  this  my  true  doctrine,  grounded 
upon  God's  word,  with  such  helps  as  I  may  help  and  war- 
rant the  same  by  the  word  of  God ;  most  humbly  praying 
mine  adversaries  in  the  blood  and  passion  of  Christ,  not 
to  condemn  me  nor  my  book  of  affection ;  but  either  to 
answer  me  and  my  book  with  disputation,  where  and  be- 
fore whom  they  will,  so  they  be  subjects  to  God's  word, 
and  to  the  censure  and  judgment  of  the  holy  and  catholic 
church ;  whose  judgment  and  learning  hath  and  doth  de- 
fend my  learning  and  sentence  in  this  behalf;  either  cha- 
Separated,  A  and  C,  departed,  B.] 

The  following  passages  to  page  382  were  added  in  the  edition  of 

1650.] 


S80 


A    DECLARATION    OF  THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


ritably  to  write  unto  me,  that  of  their  writings  I  may  learn 
(as  God  knoweth  I  most  desire)  wherefore  to  amend  and 
revoke  this  my  learning  so  uncharitably  condemned. 

And  I  do  by  this  my  last  addition  and  maintenance  of 
my  first  doctrine  protest  and  declare  unto  all  the  world, 
that  my  first  doctrine  in  this  question  is  and  shall  be  for 
evermore  true.  And  I  will  stand  to  the  defence  thereof 
when  and  where  it  shall  please  the  magistrates  to  appoint, 
with  the  danger  "x)f  God's  displeasure  and  theirs,  to  whom 
I  bear  obedience,  love,  and  fear,  according  to  my  most 
bounden  duty.  Wherefore,  my  friend,  of  friendship  be  not 
too  friendly  to  favour  me  too  much  ;  nor  thou,  mine  enemy, 
of  enmity  condemn  me  not  too  soon.  Hear  now  my  de- 
fence, I  beseech  thee ;  and  judge  of  knowledge,  as  thou 
wouldest  be  judged,  how  I  fence  the  innocency  of  my  cause, 
forced  thereunto  by  thine  occasion  and  uncharitable  slanders, 
that  wouldest  defame  thou  knowest  not  what,  or  win  the 
victory  thou  knowest  not  when. 

This  is  now  to  help  my  first  doctrine  by  the  word  of 
God  upon  the  divorcement  that  I  have  written.  But  seeing 
the  divorcement  cannot  be  understand  what  it  is,  nor  when 
it  is  lawful,  except  men  know  first  what  matrimony  is  ; 
what  is  the  dignity  thereof,  and  how  it  should  be  con- 
tracted ;  I  will  passingly '  by  the  way  shew  what  matrimony 
is.  And  note  it,  I  pray  thee,  that  thou  may  est  answer  for 
me,  whether  I  judge  contrary  or  beside  the  word  of  God 
of  divorcement  between  man  and  woman, 
ledefini-  Matrimony  is  a  lawful  conjunction  of  man  and  woman 
itiimony.  to  be  oue  flcsh,  to  bring  forth  children,  either  to  avoid 
fornication. 

Out  of  this  definition  may  be  gathered  the  dignity,  and 
also  the  beginning  of  matrimony. 

First,  I  say,  matrimony  is  a  lawful  conjunction  of  one 
man  and  one  woman.  JSIatt.  xix.  And  by  this  part  of 
matrimony  be  excluded  all  whoredoms,  adulteries,  and  un- 
lawful conjunctions  of  man's  and  woman's  bodies  contrary 
to  the  law  of  God  and  the  law  of  nature.  And  then,  where 
he  saith  "  in  one  fiesh,'"  that  is  to  say,  the  husband  shall 
keep  his  body  for  the  wife  only,  and  the  wife  her  body 
for  the  husband  only,  is  excluded  that  foolish  and  carnal 

P  Passingly,  omitted  in  C.~| 


X.] 


THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


381 


opinion  that  saith,  a  man  may  have  two,  three,  or  more 
wives,  and  the  wife  as  many  husbands. 

Secondly'' the  ends  of  matrimony  be  two;  the  first  for  The pn<is  of 
the  procreation  of  children,  that  they  might  be  the  pre-  '"■'^''""''"S'- 
servers  of  true  and  godly  religion,  by  whom  his  word  might 
be  set  forth  when  the  parents  be  dead ;  as  ye  may  see  by 
the  history  of  Tobie  and  Isaac.  And  here  be  damned  as 
many  as  seek  riches,  honours,  or  any  other  like  vain  things 
of  this  world,  before  virtue ;  also  such  as  care  not  of  what 
religion  their  wives  be,  neither  how  their  children  be  brought 
up.  This  negligence  lost  Salomon,  and  also  the  children 
of  Israel :  Esdras  i. 

The  other  end  of  matrimony  is  to  avoid  fornication. 
Seeing  the  Lord  made  man  to  be  a  creature,  prone  and 
ready  to  associate  another  sex  and  kind  like  to  himself; 
as  God  said,  Gen.  ii.,  "  It  is  not  good  that  man  be  alone ;"  cen.  ii.  is. 
lest  there  should  be  any  unlawful  connexion,  God  did  in- 
stitute and  command  matrimony,  to  all  such  as  after  the 
fall  of  Adam  were  in  danger  of  fornication.  1  Cor.  vii. 
By  the  which  institution  and  commandment  they  be  con-  Matrimony 
demned,  that  for  poverty,  foolish  vows,  or  for  easiness  of  life  avoided  for 
avoid  and  refuse  matrimony,  yet  tarry  in  the  mean  season  anrsfich"^ 
in  the  present  danger  of  fornication  and  concupiscence  of 
the  flesh. 

Wherefore  the   Lord  approveth  this  to  be  christian  Christian 
matrimony,  where  as  the  man  and  woman  consent  lawfully  proved 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  to  live  in  the  justice  and  chas- 
tity,  that  may  bring  forth  and  bring  up  their  children  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord.    But  this  matrimony  is  contemned 
now-a-days,  which  provoketh  the  ire  of  God ;  for  three  man-  Three  ways 
ner  of  ways  men  offend  in  this  behalf.     First,  men  woo  JlSrfmony. 
and  covet  matrimony  for  affection.     Then  be  they  well  con- 
joined together  of  their  own  consent ;  their  parents'  and 
fathers'"  good  will  either  neglected  or  avariciously  blinded, 
rather  with  the  respect  of  honour  and  riches,  than  well 
persuaded  for  estimation  of  virtue. 

Thirdly,  being  thus  conjoined,  there  is  brought  forth 
the  fruits  of  ungodly  and  unadvised  matrimony;  to  say, 
discord  and  debate.    Whereof  springeth  the  accustomable 
and  ungodly  manner  of  divorcement,  which  might  be  avoided. 
Printed  Thirdly  in  B  and  C] 


382 


A    DKCLARATION    OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


if  men  would  use  this  only  remedy ;  if  they  would,  as  Isaac 
emedies  Tobie  did,  first  pray  unto  the  Lord,  then  to  have 

'ese^*  rather  respect  unto  the  man's  and  woman's  virtues  than 
Fences.  their  riches ;  thirdly,  when  they  be  conjoined  together, 
the  one  to  bear  godly  with  the  other's  conditions,  and 
know  their  states,  the  man  to  be  the  head,  and  the  woman 
glad  to  acknowledge  the  pre-eminence  and  superiority  with- 
out disdain  for  the  ordinances  of  God. 

But  seeing  these  circumstances  be  seldom  and  rarely 
observed,  many  divorces  happeneth,  more  than  should  be, 
or  can  be  lawful.  Christ  putteth  only  one  cause  of  divorce- 
att.  V.  32.  ment,  fornication.  Matt.  v.  xix.,  Mark  x. 
aik"x.'i2.  Therefore,  to  speak  of  divorcement,  as  we  have  of  matri- 
mony, we  will  take  it  from  his  definition  and  nature,  which 
is  this. 

ivorcp-  True  divorcement  is  a  separation  and  departing  of  man 

ent  what  .  x  o 

is.'  and  wife  from  the  bonds  and  law  of  matrimony,  for  the 
breaking  of  the  faith  and  promise  of  matrimony,  which 
made  the  man  and  the  wife  two  in  one  flesh.  I  will  not 
entreat  of  other  causes  of  divorcements  than  fornication,  be- 
cause my  book  maketh  no  mention  of  any  other. 

But  I  will  come  to  the  state  of  all  this  controversy 
between  my  contraries  and  me,  whether  it  be  as  lawful  for 
a  woman  upon  due  and  sufficient  circumstances  to  put  away 
her  husband,  an  adulterer,  as  the  man  to  put  away  his 
wife  upon  the  same  circumstances,  being  adulteress  and 
harlot.  Of  this  controversy  mark,  gentle  reader,  the  reso- 
lution and  answer,  and  mark  without  affection ;  so  shalt 
thou  please  God,  instruct  thy  conscience,  and  not  offend 
me  thy  friend  and  brother  in  Christ. 

First,  it  is  known  to  all  men,  that  it  is  lawful  for  the 
man  to  put  away  his  wife  for  fornication  :  for  such  a  fault 
hat  a      breaketh  the  knot  of  matrimony.    The  same  is  also  lawful 
aTaway^^  foT  the  wife,  as  it  may  be  thus  proved.    First,  that  the  man 
)r  fornica-  breaketh  as  well  the  bonds  of  matrimony  by  the  giving 
the  use  of  his  body  to  an  harlot,  as  the  woman  the  use 
of  her  body  to  the  adulterer :   so  that  the  law  of  reason 
admitteth  the  lawful  union  and  conjunction  of  two  to  be 
one,  and  disalloweth  the  violation  of  the  same  as  well  in 
the  man  as  in  the  woman. 

Then  Christ,  in  the  cause  of  divorcement  for  fornica- 


on. 


X.] 


THE   SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


383 


tion,  equalleth  and  maketh  like  the  maifs  and  the  woman's 
cause  in  the  respect  of  adultery.     Mark  the  x.    Read  the  Mark  x.  12. 
place,  and  note  it.    For  there  he  giveth  the  same  authority 
to  the  woman  for  fornication,  that  he  giveth  to  the  man. 

Thirdly,  the  civil  law  admitteth  and  licenseth  the  same^, 
Cod.  Lib.  V.  1.  consensu  legitima.    Read  Eusebius',  Lib.  iv.,  cod.  ub.  v. 
and  tell  me,  whether  thou  have  an  example  or  not  of  a  legitima. 
woman  that  put  away  her  husband  for  fornication.  iv. 

But  they  object :  and  first  out  of  the  old  law,  that  it  ^"^j^^'j'"^" 
was  not  lawful  for  a  woman  to  put  away  her  husband, 
but  the  man  might  put  away  his  wife.     I  grant  the  same,  The  answer, 
but  I  am  sure  the  poor  woman  was  not  compelled  to  live 
with  her  adulterous  husband ;  for  the  law  commanded  such 
a  villain  to  be  slain,  and  so  put  the  honest  party  to 
liberty :    and  so   should  it  be  now-a-days,  and  then  the 
question  of  divorcement  would  be   ended.     And  in  the 
same  cause  of  divorcement,  and  to  marry  another,  Christ 
is  plain,  Mark  x. ;  where  as  he  giveth  equal  power,  as  well  Mark  x.  11. 
to  the  man  as  to  the  woman,  and  to  the  woman  as  well 
as  to  the  man. 

Then  say  they  again :  Yea,  but  the  man  is  the  head  ^{,jg^t°"„ 
of  the  woman.  Hereof  infer  they  some  privilege  and  pre- 
eminence to  appertain  to  the  man,  that  is  denied  and  taken 
from  the  woman.  True  it  is,  and  no  man  denieth  it,  the  The  answer, 
man  to  be  the  head  of  the  woman,  as  long  as  they  be 
one  flesh,  and  very  matrimony  remaineth  between  them 
both  :  or  else  the  husband  is  the  member  of  a  harlot,  and 
not  the  head  of  his  wife ;  and  the  wife,  the  whore  and 
adulteress  of  an  adulterer,  and  not  the  true  wife  of  her 
husband ;  after  that  the  fault  of  adultery  is  known,  proved, 
and  condemned  by  the  word  of  God  and  the  judgment  of 
the  magistrate,  as  is  aforesaid. 

{}  Si  qua  igitur  maritum  suum  adultenim  aut,  &c.  *  •  •  vel  ad 
contemptum  (sui)  domusve  suae  ipsa  inspiciente  cum  impudicis  mulie- 
ribus(quod  maxime  etiam  castas  exasperat)  ccetum  ineuntem, — probaverit, 
tunc  repudii  auxilio  uti  necessario  ei  permittimus  libertatem,  et  causas 
dissidii  legibus  comprobare.  Corp.  Juris  Civ.  Cod.  Lib.  v.  Tit.  17.  cap.  8. 
Impp.  Theodos.  et  Valent.  (Tom.  11.  237.)] 

^  yvvT]  ris  avve^lov  avbpi  aKoXatTratvovri — ottcos  fir)  Koivavos  tS>v 
abLK-qfiarav  Koi  aa-e^r^fiaraiv  yevqrai,  fievovaa  iv  Ttj  av^vyia  /cat  oyLobiairos  Koi 
6fi6KoiTos  yivofxevr],  to  Xeyo^evov  Trap'  rjp.tv  pewovbiqv  bovaa,  ex^toplcrSr],  &c. 
Euseb.  Eccles.  Hist.  Moguntise,  1672,  Lib.  iv.  cap.  17-  p.  139.] 


384  A    DECfiARATION    OF    THE    TEX   COM MANDMEXTS.  [cH. 

le  tliird  Yet  object  they  again,  If  it  should  be  lawful  for  the 

.jection.  ^^jjjg^jj  make  a  divorce  with  her  husband,  marriage 
could  never  be  sure  nor  constant,  for  women  would  change 
le  answer,  still  at  their  pleasures.  I  answer,  that  there  is  given  no 
such  liberty  to  man  or  woman  by  the  word  of  God ; 
nor  no  honest  man  or  honest  woman  will  seek  any  such 
liberty,  but  rather  fear  the  Lord,  and  wish  that  nei- 
ther they  themselves,  nor  any  other,  should  need  this  per- 
mission and  liberty  of  God's  word  granted.  Matt,  v.,  xix. 
Mark  x. 

Further,  I  dispute  not  of  the  fact,  but  of  the  law  it- 
self ;  whether  the  fact  being  done,  as  I  have  spoken  before, 
may  be  suffered  and  accounted  lawful  or  not.  Also  I 
would  not  that  divorcement  should  be  lightly,  or  at  the 
will  of  every  man  or  woman,  done,  but  to  observe  all  these 
things. 

First,  I  would  that  both  the  man  for  his  part,  and  tlie 
woman  likewise  for  her  part,  should  not  for  any  affection 
seek  occasions,  or  false  suspicions,  neither  yet  credit  every 
slanderous  tongue. 

Then,  if  it  happen,  either  of  them  to  find  his  com- 
panion culpable  and  guilty,  to  attempt  all  manner  of  means, 
secretly  between  them  both,  to  amend  the  fault :  if  that 
avail  not,  to  solicitate  the  same  by  honest  arbiters  and 
godly  friends ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  the  innocent  party 
to  pray  diligently  unto  God  for  the  party  that  is  in  the 
lapse. 

Thirdly,  if  none  of  these  means  profit,  then  to  appeal 
unto  the  magistrates,  who  be  bound  to  punish  the  adulterer 
or  the  adulteress,  and  so  to  set  the  man  or  the  woman 
civilly  in  the  world  at  liberty,  as  the  crime  and  fault  hath 
already  sundered  them  before  God.  For  as  the  congre- 
gation and  magistrates  be  testimonies  and  judges  of  the 
matrimony,  when  two  persons  are  coupled  together  lawfully ; 
so  be  they  testimonies  and  judges  of  the  separation,  which 
is  granted  for  the  unlawful  violating  of  matrimony.  Nei- 
ther doth  the  magistrate  dissolve  that  God  hath  bound, 
nor  discouple  that  God  coupled ;  but  be  judges  of  the 
adultery  and  unlawful  fact,  that  hath  of  itself  before 
dissolved  that  God  conjoined.  Thus  seest  thou,  good 
reader,  that  I  give  no  licence  nor  liberty  to  elevate  or 


THE   SEVKNTH  COMMANDMENT 


385 


diminish  the  dignity  of  matrimony,  nor  never  will,  by  God's 
grace'. 

St  Paul,  1  Cor.  vii.,  sheweth  another  cause  of  divorce-  3  Cor.  vii. 
ment,  when  the  one  of  the  persons  being  married  is  an 
infidel,  and  of  a  contrary  faith.  If  this  person  will  not 
dwell  with  the  other,  that  is  his  fellow  in  matrimony,  and 
a  Christian ;  it  is  lawful  to  break  the  faith  of  matrimony, 
and  marry  with  another.  So  saith  Saint  Ambrose^,  writing 
in  the  same  place  of  St  Paul :  Non  dehetur  remrentia  con- 
jugii  ei  qui  horret  Auctorem  conjugii  ;  that  is  to  say,  "  The 
reverency  of  matrimony  is  not  due  unto  him  that  con- 
temneth  the  Author  of  matrimony.""  And  in  the  same 
place :  Contumelia  enim  Creatoris  solvit  jus  matrimonii  circa 
ewm  qui  relinquitur,  ne  accusetur  alii  copulatus ;  that  is  to 
say,  "  The  contempt  of  God  breaketh  the  right  of  matri- 
mony concerning  him  that  is  forsaken,  lest  he  should  be 
accused,  being  married  to  another." 

Thou  seest,  that  the  Lord,  Matt.  v.  xix.  giveth  licence 
for  adultery  to  divorce  and  marry  again  ;  and  Paul 
for  infidelity.  The  divorce  that  the  bishops  permit  in 
their  laws,  is  no  divorce,  but  only  the  name  of  it  :  for 
they  will  not  permit  those  persons  thus  divorced  to  marry 
again.  They  say,  what  God  hath  conjoined,  man  should 
not  separate.  Who  denieth  that?  God  speaketh  of  the 
woman  that  standeth  by  the  law  and  ordinance  of  God, 
being  lawfully  married,  and  do  the  office  of  a  wife. 

If  adultery  or  the  case  of  infidelity  chance,  man  dissolveth 
not  the  matrimony,  but  the  person's  self  that  ofFendeth ; 
and  the  magistrate  is  but  a  testimony  of  his  or  her  ill  fact, 
that  hath  broken  and  dissolved  that  that  God  coupled,  and 
protesteth  to  the  world  that  they,  thus  dissolved,  may  marry 
again,  notwithstanding  the  former  marriage.  Though  man's 
laws  admit  it  not,  God's  laws  doth,  whose  words  may  not 
be  wrested  out  of  tune,  but  always  applied  to  the  end  they 
were  spoken. 

The  Pharisees,  Matt.  xix.  capit.  demanded  of  Christ, 
whether  it  were  lawful  for  a  man  to  divorce  his  wife  for  every 

['  Here  close  the  additions  referred  to  in  the  preliminary  address  to 
the  christian  reader  prefixed  to  the  edition  1650  of  the  Declaration,  &c. 
See  p.  377.] 

Ambrosii  Op.  Colon.  Agrip.  1616,  Tom.  iii.  p.  174.  G.] 

r  T  25 

[ HOOPER.  J 


386  A  DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

cause,  and  to  marry  another,  as  all  those  did  in  the  time  of 
Deut.  xxiv.  Moses.  Deut.  xxiv.  Christ  answered  directly  to  the  ques- 
tion, and  said,  it  was  not  lawful  for  a  man  to  put  away  his 
wife,  and  marry  another,  except  she  committed  adultery. 
Then  and  for  that  cause  it  is  lawful  now  in  the  time  of 
the  gospel,  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Moses'  law.  But  for 
the  frowardness  of  conditions,  or  tediousness  of  manners, 
men  should  not  separate  their  wives,  neither  from  bed, 
neither  from  board ;  much  less  marry  another.  He  or 
she  that  cannot  with  wisdom  amend  the  displeasant  and 
crooked  manners  of  his  or  her  mate,  must  patiently  bear 
them ;  remembering,  if  Christ  command  us  to  be  of  such 
a  tolerancy  and  patience  to  endure  the  obloquy  and  injuries 
of  all  men,  though  they  be  our  enemies ;  how  much  more 
the  morosity  and  injuries  of  a  domestical  companion  !  A 
hard  cross .'  But  patience  must  lighten  it,  till  God  send 
a  redress. 

Matt.xix.5.  Christ  yet  speaketh  of  another  adultery.  Matt.  xix.  which 
those  commit,  that  marry  at  one  time  two  wives,  and  say, 
if  a  man  have  an  hundred,  (as  he  may  have  as  well  as 
two,)  yet  all  be  but  two,  and  one  flesh  in  the  Lord. 
Christ  doth  not  so  interpretate  two.  Matt.  xix.  capit., 
but  referreth  two  to  one  man  and  one  woman,  as  the 

&1i.'24.^^*  ^'^xt  that  he  allegeth  out  of  Gen.  cap.  i.  ii.  declareth, 
saying,  "  Have  ye  not  readen,  that  he  that  made  from 
the  beginning,  made  them  male  and  female ;  therefore 
shall  man  leave  father  and  mother,  and  officiate  his  wife, 
and  shall  be  two  in  one  flesh?"  This  text  admitteth  no 
pluralities  of  wives,  but  defetroyeth  plain  the  sentence 
of  those  that  defend  the  conjunction  of  many  wives  with 
one  man. 

For  as  the  beginning   of  matrimony  was  but  one 
man  and  one  woman  created  and  married  together;  no 
more  should  there  be  now  in  one  matrimony ;  as  Christ 
there  teacheth,  and  expoundeth,  "two  in  one  flesh,"  and 
not  three  or  four  in  one  flesh.    The  word  of  God  must 
be  followed,  and  not  the  example  of  the  fathers,  in  this 
Codic.iib.v.  case.    It  is  also  forbidden  by  man's  laws,  Codic.  Lib.  v. 
incest,  et     Tit.  5.  De  incestis  et  inutilibus  nuptiis,  Neminem,  qui  sub 
nuptiis,     ditione  sit  Bomani  nominis,  binas  uxores  habere  posse  vulgo 
patet,  8^c.    "It  is  commonly  known,  that  no  man  being 


XI.] 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


387 


under  the  jurisdiction  of  Rome  can  have  two  wives,"  saith 
the  emperors  Dioclesian  and  MaximianusV 

Saint  Paul,  1  Cor.  vii.  giveth  a  godly  precept,  if  it  i  cor.  vii.  3, 
were  godly  used  :  read  the  chapter  at  the  beginning ;  the 
conclusion  of  the  sentences  is  thus,  speaking  to  the  per- 
sons married :  "  Depart  not  the  one  from  the  other,  except 
it  be  for  consent  for  a  time,  to  apply  fasting  and  praying, 
and  then  come  together  again,  lest  the  devil  tempt  you 
for  your  intemperancy."  If  Paul  could  do  any  thing  with 
men  that  be  married,  they  would  not  for  their  pleasures 
or  private  lucre  make  so  many  voyages  out  of  their  coun- 
tries, or  within  their  countries,  leaving  their  wives,  children, 
and  households,  as  forsaken  orphans. 

How  light  soever  this  ungodly  people  make  their  gad- 
dings  or  peregrinations,  they  shall  be  culpable  and  ac- 
countable for  as  many  faults,  as  is  done  by  his  family 
through  his  absence  and  negligence,  before  God.  How 
this  sin  of  adultery  is  punished,  read  Gen.  xii.  xx.  and  Gen.  xii.  17. 

,  .  &  xix.  24, 

xxxix.  Job  xxxi.  Legem  Julia.  Just.  Lib.  iv.  Tit.  18.  De 
pub.  judiciis and  look  not  how  man  useth  now  to  punish 
it,  that  rather  accounteth  it  a  virtue  than  a  vice ;  but  see 
what  punishment  God  appointeth  for  it  in  the  scripture. 


CAPUT  XI. 

THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 

TTiou  sJialt  not  steal. 

This  eighth  law  extendeth  to  this  end,  that  we  give 
unto  every  man  that  that  is  his.  And  in  so  doing,  we 
resemble  the  Master  of  this  law,  God  Almighty,  that 
abhorreth  all  injustice,  and  loveth  equity  and  right.  As 
here  is  forbidden  to  steal  the  goods  of  other,  so  is  there 
commanded  and  required  to  employ  diligence  in  keeping 
the  goods  that  be  our  own ;  remembering  that  every  man 

[1  Corpus  Juris  Civilis.]  See  note  2,  p.  374.] 

25—2 


388  A   DECLARATION    OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH- 

receiveth  at  God's  hand  his  goods  and  parcels  thereof,  and 
not  by  fortune,  or  his  own  travail.  Therefore  to  abuse 
them  is  not  only  a  loss  of  the  goods,  but  also  injuries 
unto  the  dispensation  of  God,  who  willeth  the  rich  to  give 
gladly,  and  with  thanks,  unto  the  poor;  the  poor  to  re- 
ceive religiously,  as  out  of  the  spence^  or  cellar  of  the 
Lord,  with  thanksgiving;  the  rich  to  exercise  his  faith  in 
giving,  and  to  think  that  the  way  to  be  rich  is  not  to 
muck  up  in  the  coffer,  but  to  be  hberal,  and  to  put  out 
much  to  the  poor,  for  the  commandmenfs  sake,  and  think 
the  promise  of  God  will  send  it  in  again ;  the  poor  to 
exercise  his  faith  in  receiving,  when  he  hath  nothing  at 
home,  yet  God  hath  opened  the  heart  of  one  or  other  to 
give  him  his  necessaries,  and  that  always  God  is  faithful 
in  his  promise,  and  will  give  bread  to  the  hungry  at  all 

Psai.  cxiv.  times  opportune.  Psal.  cxlv.  4  Reg.  iv.  cap. 

2  Kings  iv.  This  law  principally  forbiddeth  all  injuries  that  afflict 
or  diminisheth  the  riches,  faculties,  glory,  estimation,  fame, 
and  all  other  things  expedient  for  body  and  soul ;  all  actions 
and  traverse  of  the  law,  that  might  be  ended  charitably 
•without  breach  of  love  ;  and  all  other  uncharitable  expenses, 
all  violent  and  forcible  oppressions  by  night  or  day,  as 
well  of  them  as  rob  with  the  hand  by  the  highway  side, 
as  of  them  that  by  counsel,  affection,  avarice,  hatred,  or 
by  request  of  letters,  invert  and  pervert  justice. 

Likewise  all  fraud  and  guile  in  buying  or  selling,  and 
breaking  of  promise  in  all  bargains  and  contracts ;  or  when 
there  is  taken  from  the  law  that  which  is  hers :  that  is 
to  say,  when  she  taketh  execution  and  punishment  of  one 
ill  doer,  and  not  of  another,  not  because  their  causes  differ 
or  be  unlike,  but  that  she  is  robbed  by  force  of  her  justice 
by  the  unjust  persons  and  judges,  that  judge  not  by  the 
law,  but  against  the  law.  As  this  robbery  of  justice  is 
vised  commonly  against  God's  laws  and  man's,  so  hath  it 
obtained  a  common  soothsaying  among  all  people :  Dat 
vmiam  corvis,  vexat  censura  columbas;"  that  is  to  say,  "He 
giveth  pardon  to  the  ravens,  and  oppressetli  the  doves  with 
exaction."  The  sentence  meaneth,  that  the  great  thieves  and 
robbers  are  at  liberty,  and  sometime  occupy  the  seat  of  jus- 
tice, when  the  little  thieves  are  hanged.  He  is  not  only  a 
['  Spence  :  a  buttery  or  store-room.]        p  Juvenal,  ii.  63.] 


XI.] 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


389 


thief,  that  by  day  robbeth,  and  breaketh  men's  houses  by 
night ;  but  also  those  that  by  any  means  let  the  thing  to 
be  paid  that  is  due,  whether  it  be  to  the  law,  or  to  those 
that  be  under  the  law.  Two  manner  of  ways  all  injuries 
and  wrongs  are  done :  the  one  in^  withholding  another's 
right,  and  the  other  in  taking  away  another's  right. 

The  things  unjustly  withholden  are  the  goods  of  the 
body,  or  of  the  mind.  Of  the  body  are  these  :  the  husband, 
the  wife,  the  children,  the  servants,  the  patrons,  and  the 
pupils ;  money,  ware,  and  all  such  other  things  as  is  used 
in  the  life  of  man  necessary  for  the  body.  If  these  things 
be  truly  gotten,  the  owner  must  godly  use  them  to  his 
glory,  and  to  the  profit  of  his  neighbour.  If  they  be  gotten 
with  fraud,  guile,  and  deceit,  keep  them  not,  for  they  be 
none  of  thine ;  restore  them  to  the  right  owner,  or  else 
it  is  theft,  and  no  man  can  dispense  with  thee  for  them, 
though  thou  shrive  thyself  to  the  priest,  and  cause  all  the 
masses  of  the  world  to  be  said  for  thee,  or,  if  thou  be 
delivered  from  that  superstition,  boast  of  the  gospel  never 
so  much. 

Let  them  that  trade  the  course  of  merchandise  in 
their  vocation,  beware  of  this  danger.  Such  as  hath  the 
cure  of  souls  beware  they  hold  not  their  stipends,  and 
deserve  them  not.  Such  as  be  servants,  that  they  eat  not 
their  masters'  bread,  and  receive  their  wages  for  nought. 
As  for  those  men  that  give  their  wages  to  such  as  live 
an  evil  and  unoccupied  life,  as  the  most  part  of  the  nobility 
doth  now-a-days ;  it  is  against  God's  laws  to  keep  any 
such  in  their  house,  for  they  maintain  illness'',  which 
is  forbidden,  1  Thess.  iv.  2  Thess.  iii.;  and  the  servant  that  iThess.  iv. 
receiveth  it  committeth  theft,  for  he  is  commanded  to  2  Thess.  m. 
labour  with  his  hands  to  feed  himself  and  other.  Though  ^" 
it  be  used  of  princes,  potentates,  and  all  men  of  the 
world,  yet  that  excuseth  not  the  fault  before  God :  for  it 
was  never  readen  in  the  law  of  God,  nor  in  the  law  of 
any  man  that  had  knowledge  in  a  commonwealth,  that  an 
ill  man  was  accounted  as  any  member  thereof ;  as  ye  may 
read  in  Plato  and  Aristotle,*  what  persons  be  meet  to 

In,  A,  omitted  in  B,  by,  C] 
[*  Ilenys,  A,  ylnes,  B,  ilnesse,  C.    Perhaps,  idleness.'] 
p  Arist.  Polit.  Lib.  vii.  cap.  7-] 


390  A   DECLARATION   OF    THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cU. 

dwell  in  a  commonwealth.  How  unruly  a  sort  of  people 
the  evil  men  be,  thou  mayest  see  by  the  writings  of  Cicero, 
when  the  empire  of  Rome  fell  out  with  itself  by  sedition, 
libro  VI.  de  republica,  and  in  an  Epistle^  ad  Varronem  : 
Crudeliter  enim  otiosis  minabantur ;  eratque  Us  et  tua  inmsa 
voluntas,  et  mm  oratio.  No  man  should  retain  the  wages 
of  his  servant,  but  satisfy  always  his  covenants. 

Further,  they  offend  against  this  law  of  God,  that  by 
force  or  violence,  fraud,  or  any  other  way,  unjustly  with- 
hold and  keep  any  man's  child  or  servants ;  as  those  do 
that  by  force  or  fraud  marry  any  man's  child  against  the 
will  of  his  parents. 

Such  as  hath  great  forests  or  parks  of  deer  or  conies, 
that  pasture  and  feed  upon  their  neighbours'  ground,  or 
columbaries,  where  as  doves  assemble  and  haunt,  and  those 
feed  of  the  poor's  corn ;  I  refer  it  to  the  charity  of  every 
man,  whether  the  keeping  of  such  beasts  be  not  against 
God's  laws  and  man's  laws,  and  whether  it  be  not  suffered 
rather  for  a  few  men's  pleasure,  than  for  many  men's 
profit.  If  any  man  should  kill  any  of  those  beasts,  it  were 
felony  in  many  places :  whereas  the  law  civiF  calleth  those 
wild  beasts  the  goods  of  the  owner  no  longer  than  they 
bide  at  home,  or  have  a  purpose  to  return  home,  which 
will  never  be  as  long  as  they  find  good  bait  in  the  poor 
man's  pasture  or  corn,  except  they  be  chased  home :  whether 
those  beasts  be  not  as  well  the  poor  man's,  if  he  can  take 
them  in  his  pasture,  as  the  owner's,  read  the  law,  Just, 
[nst.  lib.  ii.  Lib.  II.  Tit.  2.  De  rerum  dwisione  et  acquirendo  illarum 
rer!  (i'ivisio.  domiuio.  I  canuot  tell  with  what  good  conscience  any 
man  can  fare  well  with  the  detriment  of  his  neighbour : 
let  every  man  judge  with  charity,  whether  it  be  well  done 
or  not. 

As  it  is  sin  to  retain  unjustly  these  goods  of  the  body, 
whether  they  be  ours  or  other  men's,  so  it  is  to  retain 
the  goods  of  the  mind;  as  good  counsel,  learning,  wisdom, 
[1  Epist.  VI.] 

Ferae  igitur  bestiae,  et  volucres,  et  pisces,  et  omnia  animalia,  quae 
mari,  coelo  et  terra  nascuntur  ;  simul  atque  ab  aliquo  capta  fuerint,  jure 
gentium  statim  illius  esse  incipiunt:  quod  enim  ante  nuUius  est,  id 
natural!  ratione  occupanti  conceditur,  nee  interest,  feras  bestias  et  volu- 
cres utrum  in  suo  fundo  quis  capiat  an  in  alieno.  Corp.  Jur.  Civ.  Instit. 
Lib.  II.  Tit.  1. 12.] 


XI.J 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


391 


or  any  other  thing  else,  that  may  aid  our  brother  in  things 

of  religion  and  virtue :  and  as  every  man  that  seeth  his 

brother  want  things  necessary  for  the  body,  in  case  he 

help  him  not,  hath  no  charity  in  him,  as  John  saith, 

1  John  iii. ;  so  he  that  seeth  his  brother  want  the  know- |  Joh""'- 

ledge  of  God  and  good  counsel,  in  case  he  aid  him  not  the 

best  he  can,  is  culpable  of  his  brother''s  damnation. 

The  other  part  that  containeth  the  transgression  against 
this  law,  is  in  taking  away  another  man's  right  or  goods, 
which  goods  likewise  be  of  the  body,  or  of  the  soul.  Of 
the  body,  as  I  rehearsed  before ;  which  are  taken  away 
by  force  or  violence,  secretly  or  apertly ;  as  by  thieves, 
pirates,  and  other,  that  against  God's  laws  and  man's  laws 
spoil  and  rob.  Likewise  such  as  war  in  the  defence  of 
any  commonwealth,  and  under  the  pretence  of  warfare 
thinketh  all  spoils  and  rapes  to  be  lawful ;  as  those  do, 
that  under  the  name  of  justice  commit  unpunished  all  in- 
justice. Such  as  by  fraud  and  craft  in  buying  or  selling, 
making  of  bargains  or  other  contracts,  deceive  any  man, 
is  condemned  by  this  law  of  theft ;  as  those  that  sell 
wares  that  be  naught  or  corrupted  for  things  lawful,  the 
things  that  be  good  for  more  than  they  be  worth ;  which 
useth  not  their  craft  to  profit  many,  but  for  their  own 
private  commodity. 

Of  this  avarice  cometh  usury,  fraud,  false  contracts, 
breaking  of  faith  and  promises,  contempt  of  all  truth  and 
honesty,  forestaliings  and  ingrossing  of  markets,  compacts 
and  agreements  between  the  rich,  that  things  may  not 
be  sold  as  they  be  worth,  but  as  their  avarice  hath  agreed 
upon.  This  maketh  scarcity  of  all  things,  and  robbeth 
the  poor  members  of  every  commonwealth,  and  bringeth 
the  greater  part  of  such  commodities  as  be  in  every  realm 
into  a  few  rich  men's  hands,  so  that  they  cannot  be  sold 
as  common  goods  of  the  civil  wealth,  but  as  the  goods 
of  one  private  person  ;  the  which  monopoly  or  selling  of 
one  man  is  forbidden,  not  only  in  the  law  of  God,  but  also 
by  the  law  of  man,  Cod.  Lib.  iv.  79,  and  that  under  a  great  Cod.  lib.iv. 
pam,  Bonis  propriis  exspoliatm  perpetuitate  damnetur  exim ; 
that  is  to  say,  forfeiting  his  own  goods,  and  to  be  damned 
to  perpetual  exile  or  banishment.  Justinian  saw  well,  when 
P  Cod.  Lib.  IV,  cap.  59.] 


392  A   DECLARATION    OP    THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

one  solely  bought  because  only  he  might  sell  again,  [it]  was 
not  profitable,  but  hurtful,  for  the  commonwealth. 

As  it  is  in  buying  and  selling  of  things  moveable  for- 
bidden to  use  fraud,  so  is  it  in  the  goods  of  the  earth 
unmoveable;  as  lands,  houses,  and  possessions,  which  now 
in  manner  are  only  the  goods  of  the  rich,  and  so  hanced', 
that  the  poor  cannot  get  as  much  as  a  cottage  to  put 
himself,  his  wife  and  his  children  in,  which  crieth  vengeance 

isai.  V.  8.  in  the  ears  of  the  God  of  battle.  Esay  v.  Read  the  chapter, 
and  see  the  curse  of  God  against  those  insatiable  raveners 
and  eaters  of  the  poor ;  yet  when  they  have  all  together, 
and  sulFereth  not  the  poor  to  have  nor  house  nor  rent, 
they  will  occupy  yet  all  crafts  and  trade  of  buying  and 
selling,  that  the  poor  man  shall  have  neither  goods  nor 
handycraft^  to  help  himself  withal.  How  doth  these  men 
hear  or  read  the  word  of  God,  that  biddeth  them  give 
their  own  goods  to  the  poor ;  which  neither  giveth  their 
own,  neither  suffereth  them  not  to  buy  at  a  reasonable 
price  the  thing  that  is  not  theirs  ? 

cod.jb^iv.        The  emperors  Honorius  and  Theodosius,  Cod.  Lib.  iv. 

commerc.et  Tit.  63,  de  commerc.  et  mercat.  gave  other  laws  for  their 
commonwealths,  writing  in  this  manner  :  Nobiliores  natalibus 
et  honorum  luce  conspicuos,  et  patrimonio  ditiores,  perniciosum 
urbibus  mercemoniwm  exercere  prohihemus,  ut  inter  plebeios  et 
negotiatores  facilius  sit  emendi  vendendique  commercium^ ;  that 
is  to  say,  "  Such  as  be  of  noble  parentage,  and  bearing  rule 
in  the  commonwealth,  and  rich  by  patrimony,  we  forbid  to 
exercise  buying  and  selling,  which  is  hurtful  to  cities ;  that 
among  the  common  sort  of  people  and  occupiers  the* 
trade  of  buying  and  selling  might  be  the  more  facile  or 
common.""  This  faculty  and  trade  of  merchandise,  that  now 
is  used  for  avarice,  was  invented  for  a  good  purpose,  to 
communicate  such  things  as  was  necessary  for  the  life  of 
man,  and  not  to  the  use  that  now  it  is  applied.  Plin.  in  Pan. 
Diversasque  gentes  ita  commercio  commiscuit,  ut  quod  gentium 
[genitum]  esset  usquam,  id  apud  omnes  gentes  natum  esse  vide- 

[]'  i.e.  enhanced.    Haunsid,  A,  liaunsed,  B,  hansed,  C] 

Nor  goddes  not  handle  craufFte,  A,  nother  goods  nor  handye 
crafte,  B.] 

Corpus  Juris  Civ.  Cod.  Lib.  iv.  Tit.  63.  c.  3.] 
Old  editions^  in  the  trade.] 


XI.] 


THE    EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


393 


retur^.  Such  as  God  hath  given  goods  unto,  or  possessions  of 
the  world,  should  live  upon  the  same ;  and  he  that  hath  one 
craft  to  live  by,  should  not  occupy  two,  for  fear  of  doing 
wrong  to  his  neighbour. 

As  for  usury,  and  applying  of  money  or  any  thing  else 
to  an  unreasonable  gain,  it  is  none  other  than  theft.  I 
would  men  should  rather  refrain  from  giving  of  money  to 
a  gain  altogether,  than  break  the  law  of  charity,  that 
helpeth  without  looking  for  gain,  Luke  vi.  Levit.  xix., 
and  also,  Exod.  xxii.  Deut.  xxiii.  because  usury  is  plain 
forbidden.  The  laws  and  constitutions  of  the  magistrates 
civil  admitteth  certain  gain  and  usury,  as  ye  read,  Cod.  cod.  lib.  iv. 

Tit  32 

Lib.  IV.  Tit.  32. :  though  they  be  in  many  things  scarce 
to  be  borne  withal,  yet  I  would  they  were  well  observed ; 
but  such  is  our  time,  that  every  man  is  in  this  case  a 
law  to  himself,  and  taketh  what  he  can. 

Here  is  forbidden  also  all  games  for  money,  as  dice, 
cards,  cloyshe,^  and  other ;  which  is  very  theft,  and  against 
charity,  that  would  rather  augment  his  neighbour's  goods, 
than  make  them  less :  so'  the  diminution  of  any  man's  fame; 
as  when  for  vain  glory  any  man  attribute  unto  himself  the 
wit  or  learning  that  another  brain  hath  brought  forth, 
whereof  many  hath  complained,  as  this  of  Virgil : 

"Hos  ego  versiculos  feci,  tulit  alter  honores*." 

They  make  a  fair  shew  with  another  bird's  feathers,  as  sop's 
crow  did.  This  offence  Mart.  iii.  calleth  plagium :  Imponens 
plagiario  pudorem^  speaking  of  him  that  stole  his  books. 

Such  as  are  appointed  to  be  common  and  public  re- 
ceivers, that  twice  ask  the  thing  due  of  the  people,  once 
for  themselves,  and  once  for  the  Lord ;  or  such  as  bear 
office,  to  see  the  treasure  of  a  commonwealth  preserved 
and  augmented  as  it  is  need,  with  the  revenues  that  belong 
to  the  same;  as  receivers,  auditors,  treasurers,  paymasters, 
with  other;  commit  more  than  theft,  if  they  use  any  part 
of  the  goods  belonging  to  a  commonwealth  to  a  private 

C.  Plinii.    See  Panegyricus,  cap.  29.] 

["  Cloyshe,  B,  cloysslie,  A,  omitted  in  C.  Cloish  or  closh  was  a 
game  something  like  ninepins,  prohibited  by  statute  in  the  reigns  of 
Edward  IV.  and  Henry  VIII.] 

['  So,  A,  for,  B,  also,  C] 

[**  I  wrote  these  verses,  another  bore  away  the  honour.] 


394!  A    DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


use,  Pandect.  Lib.  xlvhi.  Lex  Jul.^,  and  causeth  the  superior 
magistrates  to  charge  their  subjects  with  new  exaction; 
which  should  not  need  to  be  done,  if  all  things  paid  by 
the  people  were  truly  brought  home,  and  faithfully  laid  up 
to  the  use  it  was  gathered  for. 

A  greater  theft  yet  is  it  to  constrain  any  person  that  is 
free,  to  do  any  thing  against  his  liberty,  as  many  times 
the  father  doth  his  son ;  sell  him  as  a  bondman,  and  marry 
him  where  he  list,  and  to  whom  he  list. 

Thus  offend  likewise  those  that  persuade  any  man's 
child  to  forsake  his  parents,  or  any  servants  their  master, 
and  is  punished  in  the  law  with  death  or  exile.  It  is 
also  theft  to  oppress  any  just  cause,  that  is  in  controversy, 
by  force,  affection,  or  authority  of  any  superior  power,  or 
Deut.xxv.i.  request  by  letters,  not  only  against  God's  laws,  Deut.  xxv- 
Codic.iib.ii.  ijut  also   against  man's    law,    Codic.  libro  ii.    Tit.  13., 

Xit>  lo» 

where  as  be^  these  words :  Divine  admodum  constituit  D. 
Claudius  consultissimus  [princeps\  parens  nosier,  ut  jactura 
causae  afficerentur  ii,  qui  sibi  patrocinium  potentiorum  advo- 
cassent :  ut  hoc  proposito  metu  judiciariw  lites  potius  suo 
marte  discurrerent  quam  potentiorum  domorum  opibus  nite- 
rentur^;  that  is  to  say,  "The  godly  and  most  prudent  prince, 
our  father  Claudius,  very^  godly  decreed,  that  those  should 
lose  their  suit,  that  obtained  the  help  of  noblemen ;  that 
by  this  fear  all  causes  of  controversies  might  be  used  in- 
differently, rather  than  to  depend  of  the  estimation  of  any 
superior  power."  If  this  theft  were  avoided,  poor  men's 
causes  should  find  more  grace,  and  rich  men's  conscience 
more  virtue ;  especially  the  judges,  that  forget  what  place 
they  be  in,  and  serve  the  world  more  than  God. 

How  devilish  and  great  offence  it  is  before  God,  thus  to 
Psai.ixxxii.  corrupt  justice,  they  may  learn  of  David,  Psalm  Lxxxii.  that 
beginneth  in  Latin,  Deus  constitit  in  coetu  Dei,  that  is  to  say, 
"God  sitteth,  or  is  present  in  the  senate  or  place  of  judg- 
ment." This  psalm  all  judges  should  learn  by  heart,  and 
practise  it ;  likewise  mark  the  second  verse  of  the  psalm, 
that  saith  thus:.  "How  long  will  ye  judge  perversely,  and 
corrupt  justice  at  the  request  of  the  ill?"    In  the  end  of 

['  Tit.  13.]  Old  editions,  hy.] 

P  Corp.  Juris  Civ.  Cod.  Lib.  ii.  tit.  14.  I.] 
[•*  Very,  A,  were,  B.] 


XI.] 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


395 


this  verse  is  a  word  in  Hebrew,  8elah,  the  which  of  the 
Hebricians  is  diversely  interpretated ;  Psalm  iv. :  but  to 
pass  over  other  meanings,  wheresoever  thou  read  it,  think 
there  is  in  the  same  verse  some  special  and  notable  thing 
to  be  marked.  It  is'  in  this  verse.  Selah  here  signifieth 
as  much  in  English,  as  though  David  had  said :  "  Oh,  how 
great  offence  is  it  before  God,  to  pervert  at  any  man's 
request  justice ! "  Or  else  David  put  this  word  Selah  there, 
as  though  he  had  said :  "  It  is  a  common  fault  and  ac- 
customed manner  of  judges  to  have  respect  of  persons  in 
judgment."  The  psalm  containeth  but  eight  verses :  the 
judges  may  the  sooner  learn  them,  and  the  better  bear 
them  in  mind. 

The  greatest  thiefdom  of  all  is  sacrilege,  in  robbing  of 
the  goods  appointed  to  an  holy  use ;  the  goods  appointed 
for  the  poor,  for  the  maintenance  of  schools  to  bring  up 
youth  in,  in  such  learning  as  shall  be  necessary  for  the 
ministry  of  the  church,  and  governance  of  the  commonwealth. 

Or  in  taking  from  the  ministers  the  condition  and 
goods  whereupon  they  live,  who  should  by  God's  laws 
honestly  be  provided  for  by  the  heads  of  the  common- 
wealth, 1  Thess.  V. ;  it  is  an  horrible  offence  to  take  these 
goods  away  from  the  godly  use  they  be  appointed  to.  So  is 
it  the  like  offence  to  enjoy  them  undeserved ;  as  those  do, 
that  hath  hospitals,  spitals,  and  other  such  almose,  appointed 
for  the  poor,  and  apply  it  to  their  own  use,  the  which 
crieth  vengeance  before  God. 

Also  those  that  are  appointed  in  colleges  or  schools  to 
learn  or  teach  for  the  stipend  they  receive,  if  they  do  not 
their  office,  commit  sacrilege. 

Such  as  live  of  spiritual  tithes,  pensions,  lands,  or  other 
goods  appointed  to  teach  the  people  the  word  of  God,  and 
minister  his  holy  sacraments,  in  neglecting  their  office  and 
duty  offend  in  the  same  offence ;  or  when  one  man,  (and  such 
a  one  which  chanceth  many  times,)  that  doth  not,  or  cannot 
do  half  a  man's  office  for  such  a  place,  hath  many  men's 
livings.  But  of  whatsoever  gifts  he  be  of,  he  should  not 
have  two  men's  livings,  which  the  bishops'  laws  admit  by 
pluralities  and  totquots.  But  this  is,  "  Claw  me,  and  I  will 
claw  thee."  If  the  bishops  permitted  not  their  priests  to 
As  is  in.  A,  it  is  in,  B,  in  C] 


396  A    DECLARATION   Of    THE    TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

have  two  benefices,  it  may  fortune  the  priest  would  Hkewise 
say,  "  The  bishop  should  be  bishop  but  of  one  city  and 
indeed  so  it  should  be :  and  until  the  magistrates  bring 
them  to  that  point,  it  shall  be  as  possible  to  hear  a  bishop 
wade  godly  and  simply  through  the  scripture  in  all  cases 
of  religion,  as  to  drive  a  camel  through  the  eye  of  a 
needle. 

A  great  pity  it  is  to  see,  how  far  that  office  of  a  bishop 
is  degenerated  from  the  original  in  the  scripture  :  it  was 
not  so  at  the  beginning,  when  bishops  were  at  the  best,  as 
the  Epistle  of  Paul  to  Titus  testifieth,  that  willed  him  to 
Tit.  i.  5.  ordain  in  every  city  of  Crete  a  bishop.  Titus  i.  cap.  And  in 
case  there  were  such  love  in  them  now,  as  was  then  towards 
the  people,  they  would  say  themselves,  there  were  more 
to  do  for  the  best  of  them  in  one  city  than  he  could  do. 
They  know  that  the  primitive  church  had  no  such  bishops 
as  be  now-a-days,  as  examples  testify,  until  the  time  of 
Silvester  the  First.  A  little  and  a  little  riches  crept  so 
into  the  church,  that  men  sought  more  her  than  the  wealth 
of  the  people ;  and  so  increased  within  few  years,  that 
bishops  became  princes,  and  princes  were  made  servants  : 
so  that  they  have  set  them  up  with  their  almose  and  libe- 
rality in  so  high  honour,  that  they  cannot  pluck  them  down 
again  with  all  the  force  they  have. 

What  blindness  is  there  befall  in  the  world,  that  cannot 
see  this  palpable  ill,  that  our  mother,  the  holy  church,  had 
at  the  beginning  such  bishops  as  did  preach  many  godly 
sermons  in  less  time  than  our  bishops"'  horses  be  a-bridhng ; 
their  household  was  the  school  or  treasure-house  of  good 
ministers,  to  serve  the  word  of  God,  and  ministration  of 
the  sacraments.  If  it  be  so  now,  let  every  indifferent  man 
judge.  The  magistrates,  that  suffer  the  abuse  of  these 
goods,  be  culpable  of  the  fault.  If  the  fourth  part  of  the 
bishopric  remained  unto  the  bishop,  it  were  sufficient ;  the 
third  part  to  such  as  should  teach  the  good  learning ;  the 
second  part  to  the  poor  of  the  dioceses ;  and  the  other  to 
maintain  men  of  war  for  the  safeguard  of  the  commonwealth ; 
it  were  better  bestowed  a  great  deal ;  for  it  is  now  ill  used, 
and  bestowed  for  the  greatest  part  upon  those  that  hath 
no  need  of  it,  or  else  upon  such  ill  men  as  should  be  main- 
tained with  no  man's  goods. 


XI] 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


397 


It  were  well  done  to  provide  for  such  as  by  ill  bringing 
up  cannot  now  otherwise  live,  and  provide  such  means  that 
hereafter  no  more  offend  in  that  kind  of  life.  If  any  man 
be  offended  with  me  for  my  thus  saying,  he  loveth  not  his 
own  health,  nor  God's  laws,  nor  man's,  out  of  which  I  am 
always  ready  to  prove  the  thing  said  to  be  true  :  further,  I 
speak  it  of  love,  and  of  no  hatred. 

The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  doth  shew,  that  in  the  primi- 
tive church  such  as  were  converted  unto  Christ  used  a 
singular  liberality  towards  the  poor ;  and  likewise  other 
writers,  namely,  Saint  Augustine  \  Lib.  i.  De  cwitate  DeLuhA.Xic 

<•        1     •  1    •     V.  •  rivitate  Di 

that  many  men  were  found  rich  m  Kome  when  it  was  taken 
by  the  Gothes  ;  and  again  within  fourteen  year  after,  by 
Geysericus,  the  king  of  Vandale :  but  they  were  rich  for 
the  poor,  and  not  for  themselves,  or  such  as  were  rich  : 
and  maketh  mention  of  one  Paulinus,  the  bishop  of  Nole, 
a  city  in  Campania,  that  was  exceeding  rich,  but  for  the 
poor ;  as  our  bishops  should  be,  that  now  apply  the  best 
part  of  their  bishoprics  to  a  prodigal  use  in  their  own 
houses,  or  in  large  fees  and  gifts,  hospitality,  and  other 
benevolence  upon  the  rich. 

Let  all  men,  yea,  themselves  (affection  put  apart,  and 
the  love  or  study  of  many)  judge  in  this  case,  whether  ever 
they  read  in  the  new  testament,  or  have  any  one  godly 
bishop  in  the  primitive  church  for  an  example,  that  used  the 
goods  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  riches  of  the  poor,  the  pos- 
sessions given  for  the  preservation  of  godly  doctrine  and 
the  ministry  of  the  church,  as  they  do  :  if  it  seem  good 
unto  the  higher  powers  that  this  ill  may  be  tolerable,  and 
borne  withal,  for  the  honour  of  the  realm,  and  doings  of 
such  expeditions  as  shall  be  expedient  for  them  to  do,  when 
they  be  commanded  ;  their  honours  knoweth  right  well,  that 
nothing  commendeth  a  realm  more  than  where  every  man 
in  his  degree  is  as  rich  as  the  scripture  of  God  permitteth  ; 

P  Unde  Paulinus  noster,  Nolensis  Episcopus,  ex  opulentissimo  divite, 
voluntate  pauperrimus,  et  copiosissime  sanctus,  quando  et  ipsam  Nolam 
Barbari  vastaverunt,  ciim  ab  eis  teneretur,  sic  in  corde  suo,  ut  ab  eo 
postea  cognovimus,  precabatur  :  Domine,  non  excrucier  propter  aurum 
et  argentum  :  ubi  enim  sint  omnia  mea,  tu  scis.  Ibi  enim  habebat  omnia 
sua,  ubi  eum  condere  et  thesaurizare  ille  monuerat,  qui  h£Ec  mala  mundo 
Ventura  prsedixerat.  Aug.  Op.  Basil,  1642.  Tom.  v.  fo.  57-  De  Civ.  Dei. 
Lib.  I.  cap.  10.] 


398  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


and  that  bishop  doth  most  honour  unto  the  realm,  that 
keepeth  his  household,  and  disposeth  the  same  according 
1  Tim.  iii.  1.  to  the  form  and  rule  of  the  word  of  God.   1  Tim.  iii. 
Tit.  i. 

As  for  such  expeditions  in  the  civil  wealth,  as  should 
be  committed  unto  these  ministers  of  the  church,  the 
common  treasure-house  should  bear  it :  they  should  be 
reasonably  provided  for,  and  the  rest  and  overplus  taken 
from  them,  and  put  to  some  other  godly  use.  Look  upon 
the  apostles  chiefly,  and  upon  all  their  successors  for  the 
space  of  four  hundred  years ;  and  then  thou  shalt  see  good 
bishops,  and  such  as  diligently  applied  that  painful  office 
of  a  bishop  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  honour  of  the  realms 
they  dwelt  in.  Though  they  had  not  so  much  upon  their 
heads  as  our  bishops  hath  ;  yet  had  they  more  within  their 
heads,  as  the  scriptures  and  histories  testify.  For  they 
applied  all  the  wit  they  had  unto  the  vocation  and  ministry 
of  the  church,  whereunto  they  were  called  :  our  bishops  hath 
so  much  wit,  they  can  rule  and  serve,  as  they  say,  in  both 
states ;  of  the  church,  and  also  in  the  civil  policy  :  when 
one  of  them  is  more  than  any  man  is  able  to  satisfy,  let 
him  do  always  his  best  diligence.  If  he  be  so  necessary  for 
the  court,  that  in  civil  causes  and  giving  of  good  counsel 
he  cannot  be  spared,  let  him  use  that  vocation,  and  leave 
the  other :  for  it  is  not  possible  he  should  do  both  well. 
And  a  great  oversight  of  the  princes  and  higher  powers  of 
the  earth,  thus  to  charge  them  with  two  burdens,  when 
none  of  them  is  able  to  bear  the  least  of  them  both.  They 
be  the  king's  subjects,  and  meet  for  his  majesty  to  choose 
the  best  for  his  court  that  be  of  the  realm :  but  then  they 
must  be  kept  in  their  vocation  to  preach  only  the  word 
of  God,  and  not  to  put  themselves,  or  be  appointed  by 
other,  to  do  things  that  belongeth  not  to  a  bishop's 
vocation. 

This  is  theft  of  such  goods  as  appertain  unto  the 
body. 

There  is  another  kind,  of  the  soul ;  as  when  the  minis- 
ters give  not  unto  such,  as  be  committed  unto  their  charge, 
the  word  of  God  simply  and  plainly,  in  a  tongue  known, 
and  lead  not  the  people  towards  the  life  everlasting,  as  the 
word  of  God  teacheth,  to  know,  that  for  Christ's  sake  only, 


XI.] 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


399 


without  all  respect  of  works,  sin  is  forgiven,  and  that  we 
are  bound  to  do  the  works  that  God  commandeth  us  to 
do,  and  be  expressed  in  the  scripture,  which  is  the  regie 
and  rule  to  lead  the  church  by.    John  xv.  johnxv.u. 

Such  as  preach  man's  laws,  and  works  not  commanded 
in  the  scripture,  robbeth  the- scripture  of  her  riches. 

Likewise  those  that  attribute  more  than  is  due,  or  less 
than  is  due,  unto  the  holy  sacraments  instituted  by  Christ, 
committeth  sacrilege. 

They  take  from  the  sacraments  too  much,  that  say, 
they  be  but  external  signs  to  know  the  church  of  Christ  by 
from  such  as  be  not  of  the  church ;  as  the  Roman  once 
was  known  from  another  citizen  by  his  gown  :  or  those 
that  say  they  may  be  done  and  left  undone,  as  it  pleaseth 
man  that  useth  them. 

They  add  too  much  to  the  sacraments,  that  attribute 
as  much  unto  them  as  unto  the  grace  and  promise  that  they 
confirm :  as  to  the  sacrament  of  baptism  remission  of  sin, 
when  it  is  but  an  external  confirmation  of  it.  Rom.  iv.  :  and  Rom.  iv.ii. 
unto  the  holy  supper  of  the  Lord  they  attribute  a  distribu- 
tion, deliverance,  or  exhibition  of  Christ's  natural  body ; 
whereas  it  is  but  a  confirmation  of  the  grace  and  mercy,  that 
he  bought  for  us  upon  the  cross  with  shedding  his  precious 
blood,  and  death  of  his  innocent  body  :  as  the  words  shew- 
eth  plainly,  Luke  xxii.,  1  Cor.  xi.,  where  Christ  saith,  he  Luke  xxu. 
did  not  institute  his  last  supper  that  men  should  bodily  eat  i  cor.  xi.  2*. 
his  body,  but  that  they  should  do  always  the  same  in  the 
remembrance  of  his  death,  and  consider  the  grace  that  he 
obtained  for  us  in  his  body  and  blood,  and  be  thankful  for 
the  same. 

Great  pity  it  is  that  the  devil  hath  so  prevailed  in  many 
men,  that  obstinately  without  reason  and  authority  of  the 
scripture  preach  their  fantasies  unto  the  people  of  God,  and 
would  persuade  that  their  imagination  or  dream  of  Christ's 
holy  body  were  [a]  ^  true  and  substantial  body :  but  such 
is  the  devil's  malice,  now  that  many  men  are  persuaded 
that  the  substance  of  bread  remaineth,  and  can  no  longer 
deceive  them  in  sensible  things,  he  carrieth  them  to  as  great 
an  ill  or  worse  than  that,  and  would  make  them  believe  that 
a  fantasy  or  dream  of  a  body,  that  hath  neither  quantity 

P  Supplied  from  A.] 


400 


A   DECLARATION    OF    THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


nor  quality,  to  be  a  true  body.  My  good  reader,  without 
all  affection  consider  the  reasons  and  authority  of  God's 
word,  that  I  shall  rehearse  here  briefly  against  those  thieves 
that  rob  the  humanity  of  Christ  of  all  human  qualities  and 
quantities. 

First,  they  judge  the  body  of  Christ,  that  is  in  heaven, 
to  have  all  properties  and  conditions  of  a  true  man ;  and 
of  the  same  self  body  in  the  sacrament  they  take  away 
all  the  conditions  and  qualities  of  a  true  man's  body.  They 
must  shew  by  the  scripture,  that  one  and  the  same  body, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Seed  of  the  holy  Virgin,  perfect  God, 
perfect  man,  consisting  of  man's  flesh  and  a  reasonable  soul, 
hath  and  hath  not,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  a  body  with 
all  dimensions,  qualities,  and  quantities  of  a  true  man  in 
heaven,  and  without  all  dimensions,  qualities,  and  quantities, 
at  the  same  time  in  the  sacrament. 

This  put  as  a  pillar  and  foundation  of  thy  faith,  that  as 
he  is  perfect  God,  with  all  the  properties  and  conditions 
of  a  true  God,  wheresoever  he  be ;  so  is  he  perfect  man, 
with  all  the  qualities  of  a  true  man,  wheresoever  he  be, 
consisting  of  a  reasonable  soul  and  man's  flesh.  John  i., 
Heb.  i.  They  say,  thou  must  not  judge  so  carnally  and 
grossly  of  Christ's  body.  Believe  thou  the  scripture,  and 
bid  them  shew  thee  the  place  in  the  scripture,  that  thou 
shouldest  not  judge  so  of  a  true  physical  and  mathematical 
body,  which  Christ  now  hath,  as  the  fingers  of  St  Thomas 
beareth  record,  John  xxi.,  the  hands  and  eyes  of  all  the 
1  John  i!  1.' apostles,  ]  John  i.,  and  also  his  ascension  beareth  record. 

Acts  i.  9  • 

Acts  i.  Let  them  prove  that  they  speak  by  the  scripture, 
and  shew  where  Christ  was  ever  present  in  one  place, 
visible ;  and  in  another  place  present  at  the  same  time, 
invisible. 

They  say,  we  must  speak  as  the  scripture  speaketh,  that 
saith  by  the  bread,  Matt,  xxvi.,   Mark  xiv.,  Luke  xxii., 

''itatt  xxvi.  .  . 

26.  '  '  "This  is  my  body;"  and  of  these  few  words  ill  understanded, 
Maikx'v.  -(.jigy  (ji-eam  wonderful  mysteries,  that  the  substantial  body 
Liikexxii.  Christ's  humanity  is  present,  by  miracle  and  a  way  celes- 
tial, passing  all  men's  capacities,  with  many  other  far-fet 
imaginations  and  new-found  terms,  which  the  scripture  never 
knew  of  Howbeit,  if  thou  mark  their  conclusion,  thou 
shalt  find  nothing  but  the  name  of  a  body,  which  they  have 


XI.] 


THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


401' 


given  to  this  chimera  and  monster  that  their  fantasy  hath 
conceived.  They  speak  of  the  letter,  and  none  goeth  further 
from  it  than  they.  Christ  said,  "  This  is  my  body  that  is 
betrayed  for  you the  which  was  a  visible  and  sensible  body, 
as  the  eyes  of  those  that  saw  him  hang  upon  the  cross  testify. 
They  say,  it  is  an  invisible  body,  that  occupieth  not  place ; 
but  the  scripture  saith  the  contrary,  as  thou  seest  by  the 
words  of  the  supper.  Luke  xxii. 

Hold  them  therefore  by  the  scripture  fast ;  and  when 
they  name  the  most  holy  humanity  of  Christ,  and  would 
have  it  with  the  bread,  bid  them  shew  thee  the  body.  For 
the  text  saith,  that  he  shall  come  as  visible  unto  us,  as  he 
departed  from  us.  Acts  i.  If  they  say,  that  place  speaketh  Acts  i.  n. 
of  his  coming  to  judgment,  and  not  of  his  presence  in 
the  sacrament,  deny  their  saying ;  for  the  text  saith,  that 
he  shall  be  in  heaven,  till  that  time  of  judgment.  Acts  iii.      Acts  m.  21. 

It  is  evil  done  of  any  man  to  speak  as  the  scripture 
speaketh,  and  not  to  take  the  meaning  of  the  scripture. 
God  of  his  mercy  give  men  grace  to  know  the  truth ! 
Before  Christ  in  his  supper  called  the  bread  his  body,  see 
how  he  foresaw  this  after  evil  and  fantastical  dreams,  that 
men  would  take  his  words  contrary  unto  his  mind.  In  the 
sixth  of  John  he  telleth  his  disciples,  that  to  eat  his  body 
was  to  believe  in  him :  that  availed  not ;  but  straightway 
said,  "  The  words  that  I  speak  be  spirit  and  life,"  and 
calleth  them  from  the  letter.  Yet  again,  the  third  time  in 
the  same  place  saith,  "  What  if  ye  see  the  Son  of  man 
ascend  where  as  he  was  first  V  By  these  reasons  he  took 
away  all  bodily  eating,  and  rigour  of  the  letter.  Likewise 
after  the  supper,  lest  they  should  dream  yet  of  a  bodily 
presence,  because  sacramentally  he  called  the  bread  his 
body,  he  repeated  again  the  same  words;  John  xvi.,  Johnxvi.  7. 
"  It  is  expedient  that  I  depart."  Again :  "  I  go  to  my 
Father.  I  came  from  my  Father  into  the  world.  I 
forsake  the  world  again,  and  go  to  my  Father."  Why 
should  not  these  places  hold  their  authority,  and  teach  us 
to  understand  these  words,  "  This  is  my  body seeing 
that  both  before  and  after  the  supper  Christ  told  them  by 
plain  words,  he  would  not  be  in  the  world  ?  And  so  doth 
the  institution  of  it  declare,  that  this  sacrament  was  and 
should  be  a  memory  of  his  blessed  passion  and  pains  suf- 

[lIOOPER.J 


402  A  DECLARATION  OF  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  [cH- 

fered  in  the  flesh,  and  not  a  distribution  of  the  flesh  itself. 
Luke  xxii. ;  2  Cor.  xi.  None  of  them  that  put  this  cor- 
poral presence  in  the  bread,  yet  hitherunto  never  could 
interpretate  the  words  of  the  supper  aright.  I  would  be 
glad  to  hear  it  once. 

If  they  will  not  admit  the  alteration  of  the  bread  with 
the  papists,  they  will,  and  can  do  none  otherwise,  but  inter- 
pretate the  words  thus :  "  This  is  my  body that  is  to  say, 
very  bread,  and  my  body ;  and  refer  the  verb  "  is"  to  two 
diverse  substances,  to  the  body  of  Christ,  and  to  the  bread  ; 
which  is  plain  against  the  nature  of  a  verb  substantive,  to  be 
at  once  two  diverse  substances. 

Rom.iv.  11,  Seeing  Saint  Paul  doth  interpretate  and  expound  this 
word  "  is"  in  the  sacrament  of  circumcision,  (and  all  sacra- 
ments be  of  one  nature,)  by  this  word  "  signifieth,"  or  "  con- 
firmeth,"  Rom.  iv.;  what  should  men  mean,  thus  to  trouble 
and  vex  the  church  of  Christ  with  new  doctrine  ?  Also,  it 
is  a  common  manner  of  the  scripture,  to  attribute  unto  the 
sign  the  thing  meant  by  the  sign.  God  knoweth  what  a 
weak  reason  this  is,  to  say,  people  must  speak  as  the  scripture 
doth,  and  would  prove  thereby  a  real  and  bodily  presence 
of  our  Saviour,  that  died  for  us,  and  ascended  into  heaven, 
sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  Almighty,  and  from  thence 
shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

Did  not  Arius  defend  his  heresy  with  as  good  an  argu- 
ment as  this,  when  he  spake  as  the  scripture  doth,  and  said, 
Pater  major  me  est,  "  My  Father  is  greater  than  I  V  Or 
might  not  a  man  prove  by  the  same  reason  that  Elie,  Esay, 
and  all  other  prophets  before  Christ  came,  to  be  deceivers 

John  X.  8.  of  the  people,  and  false  preachers  I  For  Christ  said,  John 
X.,  "  As  many  as  came  before  me  were  thieves  and  mur- 
derers he  that  speaketh  thus,  speaketh  as  the  scripture 
speaketh.  There  is  not,  nor  never  was,  christian  reader, 
heretic,  but  spake  in  the  defence  of  his  heresy  as  the  scrip- 
ture speaketh ;  but  took  not  the  meaning  with  the  word,  as 
we  must  do,  except  we  intend  to  rob  the  holy  scripture  of  her 
true  sense,  and  ungodly  force  the  letter  from  the  true  mean- 
ing thereof ;  as  those  do,  that  rather  constrain  the  unlearned 
conscience  with  fear,  than  persuade  them  with  good  argu- 
ments out  of  the  scripture. 

They  intricate  the  wits  of  men  with  sophistry  and  illusion. 


xr.] 


THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


403 


that  they  know  not  what  they  hear,  neither  they  themselves 
what  they  say,  when  the  oration  is  ended.  For  a  true  body 
they  shew  a  blank  shadow,  or  rather  fantasy  of  a  body : 
and  all  their  words  hath  brought  forth  nothing  less  than  a 
body,  that  they  promised  to  deliver  unto  him  that  they 
would  persuade  ;  as  those  that  Horace  speaketh  of :  Partu- 
riunt  monies,  nascetur  ridiculus  mus^. 

They  say,  he  that  believeth  not  their  words,  that  they 
have  a  true  body,  with  hoc  est  corpus  meum,  was  never  well 
persuaded  of  the  first  article  of  his  faith ;  scilicet,  "  I  must 
believe  that  God  is  omnipotent."  So  we  do.  But  with 
this  reason  they  subvert  themselves,  because  ye  see  in  the 
sacrament  God  doth  not  make  the  thing  they  speak,  and 
therefore  it  is  not  there :  for  if  he  would  it  should  be,  it 
must  be  a  man's  body  with  all  the  qualities  thereof ;  for 
Christ  hath  none  other  body  but  that  he  took  of  the  holy 
Virgin,  and  is  always  visible  and  subject  unto  the  senses 
wheresoever  it  be,  John  xxi.  1  John  i. 

When  they  trouble  thee  with  the  words  of  the  supper, 
"  this  is  my  body,"  return  unto  all  the  sacraments  of  the 
old  testament.  Gen.  xvii.  Exod.  xii. :  and  thou  shalt  find  Gen.  xvii. 

12. 

that  they  were  the  confirmations  of  the  things  they  were  Exod.  xii.  i. 

called,  and  not  the  thing  itself.  Romans  iv.     Then  look 

upon  other  places  of  the  scripture,  J ohn  vi.  Mark  xvi.  John  vi.  63. 

Luke  xxiv.  Acts  i.  iii.  vii. :    believe  thy   Credo ;    "  he  wT^ 

ascended  into  heavens,  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God 

the  Father  Almighty,  from  thence  shall  come  to  judge  the 

quick  ^  and  the  dead." 

Wilt  thou  not  believe  all  these  places  as  well  as  the 
dream  of  them  that  choketh  thee  with  one  place  of  the 
scripture  eviF  understand  ?  Let  those  untractable  men  judge 
what  they  list  of  the  sacrament  and  holy  supper  of  the 
Lord :  believe  thou  with  the  scripture,  that  it  is  but  a 
memory  of  Christ's  death,  a  confirmation  and  mystery  of 
our  redemption,  Luke  xxii. ;  1  Cor.  xi.  Luke  saith,  "  Do  Luke  xxii. 
it  in  the  memory  of  me ;"  and  lest  any  man  should  say, 
that  memory  is  to  receive  the  corporal  body  of  Christ,  Saint 
Paul,  1  Cor.  xi.,  interpretateth  it  plainly,  and  saith  ;  "  The  i  Cor.  xi. 
eating  of  the  bread,  and  drinking  of  the  wine,  is  done 

[}  The  mountains  in  labour  bring  forth  an  insignificant  mouse.] 
P  Live,  A.]  111,  A.] 

26—2 


404  A  DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


to  shew  the  death  and  passion  of  Christ's  body,  till  he 
come." 

We  must  therefore,  in  this  kind  of  theft,  and  all  other, 
study  to  make  restitution,  and  to  pay  every  man  his  ;  as  it 

Exod.xxii.  is  written  in  the  law  and  prophets.    Exod.  xxii.  Esay  ni. 

^'  Amos  iii.  Luke  x.    Of  the  which  restitution  writeth  Saint 

Augustine',  ad  Macedonium,  Epist.  54;  the  which  no  man 
should  prolong,  nor  commend  the  doing  thereof  unto  his 
executors  ;  but  he  that  hath  committed  the  fault  must  make 
the  mends  in  this  case  unto  him  that  he  hath  deceived. 

If  thou  canst  not  remember  whom,  neither  how  much 
thou  hast  defrauded,  let  that  be  thy  daily  study,  to  call  to 
remembrance  some  way,  as  well  to  restore  the  goods  ill 
gotten,  as  thou  foundest  means  to  obtain  them:  and  be 
no  more  ashamed  to  return  to  grace,  than  thou  were  to  lose" 
it.  If  thou  find  no  persons  to  whom  thou  shouldest  restore 
it,  give  it  to  the  poor,  and  not  to  such  as  shall  sing  requiem 
for  thee  after  thy  death.  And  give  no  less  than  thou  hast 
taken  away. 

The  goods,  that  be  truly  thine,  thou  shalt  use  aright, 
if  thou  observe  these  two  rules.    First,  if  thou  put  no  trust 
Psai.ixii.io.  in  them.    Read  the  sixty-first  Psalm.    Matt.  vi.  1  Tim.  vi. 

Matt.  vi.  19» 

1  Tim.  vi.  Second,  if  thou  use  them  to  the  honour  of  God,  to  the  ne- 
cessity  of  this  present  life  without  excess ;  moderately  with 
thy  friends  for  humanity,  and  abundantly  with  the  poor 
for  charity :  so  shalt  thou  have  enough,  and  leave  enough^ 
as  Abraham  did  to  his  eon  Isaac. 

Si  enim  res  aliena,  propter  quam  peccatiim  est,  cum  reddi  possit 
lion  redditur,  non  agitur  poenitentia,  sed  fingitur :  si  autem  veraciter 
agitur,  non  remittetur  peccatum,  nisi  restituatur  ablatum  :  &c.  &c.  &c. 
Aug.  Op.  Basil,  1.^42.  Tom.  2.  co.  248.  Epist.  54.  Ad  Maced.] 

Old  editions,  lost.'} 


XII.] 


THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 


405 


CAPUT  XII. 

THE   NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

Thou  shalt  be  no  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour. 

In  the  eighth  commandment  ye  see  how  God  bound  the 
hands  of  man  from  robbing  of  hiiS  neighbour's  goods  :  the 
which  is,  as  it  were,  a  manacle  or  hand-shackle  to  keep  them 
from  doing  of  ill.  So  doth  he  in  this  ninth  commandment 
bridle  the  tongue  from  hurting  his  neighbour :  which  is,  if 
it  be  well  used,  the  most  precious  member  of  man ;  if  the 
contrary,  most  detestable,  and  pernicious,  and  ill,  incorri- 
gible, full  of  pestiferous  poison.  James  iii.  This  precept  James  Ui.  5. 
commandeth  a  moderation  of  the  tongue,  and  requireth  the 
truth  always  to  be  said,  as  occasion  requireth :  that  no  man 
hurt  his  neighbour,  which  may  happen,  where  this  law  is 
neglected,  many  ways ;  in  the  soul,  in  the  body,  in  his  name, 
or  in  his  goods ;  and  is  committed  either  by  word,  writings, 
simulation,  dissimulation,  or  by  any  other  beck  or  sign, 
which  are  all  there  forbidden. 

Likewise,  that  no  man,  being  called  to  bear  testimony 
in  any  matter,  should  speak  other  than  the  truth,  for  he 
that  is  a  false  witness  offendeth  both  against  God  and  his 
neighbour. 

Here  is  forbidden  all  kind  of  lies  that  be  contrary  Tiiree  kinds 
to  charity.  There  be  three  kinds  of  lies :  the  first  men 
call  jocosum  mendacium ;  when  in  hour  ding  ^  they  merrily* 
speak  of  things  untrue,  that  rather  extend  to  exhilarate  the 
company,  than  to  any  man's  harm.  This  kind  of  bourding 
is  not  commendable  among  christian  men,  that  should 
seek  other  means  to  occupy  the  time  withal,  and  hath 
more  vice  and  lightness  than  virtue  and  gravity. 

The  second  sort  of  lies  is  called  mendacium  officiosum, 
and  is  required,  when  otherwise  ill  or  murder  cannot  be 
avoided.    As  ye  read,  Exod.  i.,  where  the  midwives,  being  Exod.  i.  19. 
commanded  of  Pharao  to  kill  all  the  males  among  the 

P  Bording,  A  and  B,  boording,  C,  jesting.   See  p.  368.] 
Merelie,  A,  merely,  B,  merrily,  C] 


406  A  DECLARATION  OP    THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 


Israelites  at  the  time  of  their  birth,  said,  the  women  of 
the  Hebrews  were  delivered  before  they  came  to  them, 
isam.xix.  1  Sam.  xix.  Michol,  David's  wife,  by  the  same  means 
1  Sara.  XX.  saved  David ;  so  did  Jonathans,  cap.  xx. ;  David  in  the 
1  Sam.  xxi.  xxi.  by  this  means  obtained  bread  of  Abimelech  the  high 
^'  priest  in  Nobe,  and  avoided  the  hand  of  Achis  the  king 

of  Gath. 

The  third  kind  is  called  mendaciim  perniciosum,  a 
pernicious  and  hurtful  kind  of  lying,  that  cometh  of  malice, 
hatred,  envy,  or  disdain;  and  extendeth  to  the  hiirt  of 
his  neighbour.  This  kind  is  damnable,  whether  it  be  in 
civil  causes,  or  matters  of  religion :  specially  to  be  ab- 
horred in  divines  and  preachers  of  the  church,  that  cause 
men  to  err  from  the  way  of  salvation  taught  us  by  the 
scripture,  and  to  bring  people  from  the  old  learning  of 
the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  to  the  new  learning 
of  men;  from  our  mother  the  holy  church,  and  the  spouse 

Eph.  V.  23.  of  Christ,  Ephes.  v.,  from  a  church  builded  upon  the 
doctrine   and  foundation  of  the   prophets  and  apostles, 

Eph.  ii.  20.  Ephes.  ii.,  unto  the  synagogue  of  the  devil,  builded  upon 
the  doctrine  of  antichrist.  Here  is  forbidden  all  things 
that  hurteth,  and  not  the  thing  that  can  honestly  and 
charitably  profit  the  truth  and  a  good  cause. 

This  law  extendeth  against  those  that  by  any  false 
means  contend  in  judgment  to  overcome  a  right  cause,  or 
molest  an  honest  person  with  slanders  and  lies :  or  such 
as  feign  untrue  accusation  and  crimes  against  any  man  ; 
who  is  not  only  damned  by  this  law  of  God,  but  also  by 
the  law  of  man.  For  when  an  ungodly  and  malicious 
person  is  suffered  to  lie,  and  speak  what  he  listeth  un- 
punished, there  is  nothing  more  pernicious  in  the  world 
to  make  debate  and  to  break  charity.  Therefore,  not 
only  God's  laws  requireth  the  slanderer  to  be  punished 
with  the  same  pain  that  is  due  for  the  offence  that  falsely 

Deut.xlx.    he  hath  accused  his  brother  of,    Deut.  xix.  Matt.  vii. 

Matt.  vii.    Luke  vi. ;   but  also  by  the  law  of  the  twelve  tables  in 

Instit.  lib.  Rome.  August.  •  De  Civit.  Lib.  xxi.  capit.  11.  Instit. 
iv.  tit.  18. 

[i  The  title  to  tins  chapter  in  Augustine  is,  "An  hoc  ratio  justitise 
habeat,  ut  noa  sint  extensiora  pcenarum  tempora,  quam  fueriut  pecca- 
torum."] 


XII.] 


THE   NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 


407 


Lib.  IV.  tit.  18.'^  libro  Pandect,  de  iis  qui  infamiam  irrogant. 
Slanderers  be  not  unpunished. 

Likewise  those  that  secretly  intend  dissension  or  debate 
between  persons,  and  bearers  of  tales  that  they  themselves 
have  feigned  out  of  their  own  malicious  interpreting  of 
a  thing  done  to  a  good  purpose,  or  the  words  spoken  to 
an  honest  end,  contrary  to  the  true  meaning  of  them. 
Against  such  speaketh  Saint  Augustine,  De  Civit.  Lib.  xix.  Au?.  De 

.....  ...  .  Civit.  Lib. 

cap.  6 :  Qui  ponit  in  judicio  debet  poenam  similem  susttnere,  xix. 
quamvis  sint  vera,  quia  occulta  manifestanda  non  sunt ;  that 
is  to  say,  "  He  that  propoundeth  the  thing  he  cannot 
prove,  though  it  be  true,  he  should  suffer  the  like  pain 
himself ;  for  things  secret  should  not  be  opened."  Under- 
stand, that  if  the  matter  appertain  unto  God,  charity,  the 
governors  of  the  commonwealth,  or  unto  the  common- 
wealth itself;  then  should  the  ill  charitably  be  opened, 
if  it  cannot  be  secretly  remedied.    Deut.  xiii. 

Here  is  forbidden  all  flattery  and  currying  of  favour; 
an  ill  that  destroyeth  city  and  world,  reigneth  in  Moses' 
chair,  in  the  court  of  princes,  and  every  private  house ; 
where  as  men  careth  not,  so  they  may  keep  themselves  in 
favour,  or  come  into  favour ;  what  they  praise,  or  what  they 
dispraise :  so  it  please  their  masters,  these  parasites  and 
servile  sort  of  men  hold  up  "  Yea,"  and  "  Nay,"  as  the 
wind  bloweth ;  which  is  of  all  servitudes  the  greatest.  It 
is  not  without  cause,  that  so  many  wise  men  hath  given 
counsel  to  beware  of  this  pestiferous  kind  of  people.  Cato, 
Cum  quis  te  laudat,  judex  tuus  esse  memento ;  that  is  to 
say,  "  If  any  man  praise  thee,  remember  to  be  thine  own 
judge:"  Cic.  De  Offic.  i.  Cavendum  est  ne  assentatoribus  pate- ^i^- i' 
faciamus  aures,  ne  adulari  nos  sinamps  ;  that  is  to  say,  "  We 
must  beware  we  open  not  our  ears  to  such  as  praiseth 
us  falsely,  and  not  suffer  ourselves  to  be  flattered."  None 
be  so  much  in  danger  of  these  ill  men,  and  dangerous  sin, 
as  the  princes,  nobles,  and  superior  powers  of  the  earth. 
Therefore  Ovid  saith,  Agmen  adulantum  media  procedit  in 
aula ;  that  is  to  say,  "  The  cluster  of  flatterers  walk  in  the 

P  Lex  Cornelia  de  falsis, — poenam  irrogat  ei  qui  testamentum  vel 
aliud  instrumentum  falsum  scripserit,  signaverit,  reeitaverit,  subjecerit ; 
vel  signum  adulterinum  feceiit,  sculpserit,  expresserit,  sciens  dolo  malo. 
Instit.  Lib.  iv.  Tit.  18.  7.] 


408  A   DECLAKATION  OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


midst  of  the  court."  To  this  inhonest  and  filthy  gain 
either  poverty  or  avarice  storeth  them,  as  Cicero'  writeth, 
ad  Keren.  Lib.  iv. :  Buce  res  sunt  quae  possunt  homines  ad 
turpe  compendium  commovere,  inopia  atque  avariha. 

Further,  there  is  here  forbidden  the  judge  to  admit, 
or  any  man  to  offer  in  judgment,  any  partial,  fore-wrought, 
or  concluded  cause.  In  case  it  be  known,  the  person 
accused  may  appeal  to  a  higher  judge,  and  refuse  the 
testimonies  that  speak  of  hatred,  or  being  corrupted  other 
ways,  by  love,  or  money,  whether  it  be  already  paid  or 
yet  to  be  paid.  Cod.  Lib.  iv.  tit.  20.^  When  the  law 
saith,  "  Thou  shalt  not  answer  as  a  false  witness  against 
thy  neighbour it  declareth,  that  it  is  lawful  to  shew  the 
truth,  when  he  is  required  :  which  condemneth  the  opinion 
of  those  that  think  it  not  lawful  for  a  christian  man  to 
contend  in  any  cause  before  the  civil  magistrates  of  the 
earth. 

Remember  those  four  things  in  giving  of  testimony ;  and 
then  thou  shalt  not  offend. 

First,  remember  God  and  the  truth,  and  do  for  them 
as  much  as  thou  raayest. 

Second,  put  apart  all  affections,  fear,  love,  and  hatred. 
Consider  what  the  cause  is,  and  not  whose  the  cause  is. 
If  any  man  speak  good  or  ill,  keep  one  ear  stopped  with 
thy  finger,  and  hear  him  that  speaketh  with  the  other. 
So  did  Alexander  the  Great ;  and  when  he  was  demanded 
why  he  did  so,  he  said,  he  kept  the  one  ear  close,  to  hear 
the  other  part.  And  that  is  the  greatest  testimony  that 
any  man  can  have  to  commend  his  wisdom  :  and  so  we  be 
pod.  xxiii.  commanded,  Exod.  xxiii.  Levit.  xix.    Read  the  chapter. 

Third,  see  thou  feign  nothing,  nor  add  nothing  to  the 
cause,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad ;  as  the  Pharisees  did 
against  Christ,  and  his  holy  martyr,  Saint  Stephen. 

Fourth,  see  thou  hide  nothing,  nor  dissemble,  but  speak 
plat^,  and  plainly  as  much  as  thou  knowest. 

If  thou  observe  not  these  four  things,  it  is  not  only 
theft  against  charity,  but  also  sacrilege  against  God,  which 

\}  Item  utrum  igitur  avaritiee  causa  an  egestatis  accessit  ad  malefi- 
cium,  &c.    Cicero  ad  Heren.  Lib.  iv.  sect.  38.] 
De  Testibus.] 

Platle,  A,  plat,  B,  truth,  C] 


XIII  ]  THE   NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  409 

he  abhorreth,  Prov.  vi.,  read  the  chapter,  and  shall  not  ^P^' 
be  unpunished.  Deut.  xix.,  read  the  place.     The  end  of^^- 
this  precept  is,  that  we  use  in  all  things  a  simple  verity 
towards  all  men  without  fraud,  deceit,  or  guile  in  word 
and  deed. 

And  all  that  is  before  spoken  in  many  words,  the 
sum  and  whole  is,  that  we  violate  not  nor  hurt  with 
slanderous  words ;  calumniate  not  the  thing  well  spoken 
or  done,  nor  otherway  our  brother's  name ;  but  be  glad 
in  all  things  to  promote  him,  both  in  goods  and  fame. 


CAPUT  XIIL 

THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

shalf  not  covet  tliy  neighbour  s  house,  neither  desire  thy 
mighbour''s  wife,  either  his  man-servant,  either  his  woman- 
servant,  either  his  ox,  either  his  ass,  either  any  thing  that 
is  thy  neighbour''s. 

As  much  as  is  necessary  for  man  to  live  an  upright  and  The  purpose 
godly  life  in  this  world,  both  towards  God  and  man,  is  mandment. 
repeated  in  the  nine  commandments  afore,  if  they  be  ob- 
served according  to  their  institution,  and  mind  of  Almighty 
God,  the  giver  of  the  same :  as  he  desireth  all  the  external 
acts  of  man  to  extend  unto  the  glory  of  God,  and  utility 
of  our  neighbour ;  so  doth  he  in  this  last  precept  require, 
that  the  mind  and  soul  of  man  be  replenished  with  all 
affections  and  desire  of  love  and  charity ;  that  whatsoever 
we  do,  it  be  done  without  vain-glory  and  hypocrisy,  from 
the  heart,  not  shewing  one  thing  outwardly,  and  have 
another  secretly  in  the  heart.  And  this  commandment  is 
referred  to  all  the  other,  as  Christ  saith.  Matt.  v. ;  though 
the  words  of  the  commandment  make  mention  only  of  the 
concupiscence  of  such  things  as  be  our  neighbour's  posses- 
sion, as  his  house,  his  wife,  with  other  such  goods  as  be 
his.  *  ■ 


410  A   DECLARATION   OP  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


Kom.vii.7.  And  in  this  precept  is  declared  specially  our  infirmity 
and  weakness,  that  we  are  all  miserable  sinners ;  Rom.  vii. 
for  never  was  there,  or  ever  shall  be,  only  Christ  excepted, 
but  ofFended  in  this  precept,  to  what  perfection  or  degree 
of  holiness  soever  he  came  unto. 

No  creature  born  into  the  world  could  satisfy  this  law; 
and  all  holy  saints  had  sin  remaining  in  them,  as  long  as 

i^JohnKs.  they  lived.  Psalm  cxlii.  1  John  i.  Rom.  vii.  1  Cor.  iv. 

1  cSrAv.  4.'  Psalm  cxxix.  xvi.  xxxi.  Job  ix.  Exod.  xxxiv.  Of  the  which 
places  we  may  learn  to  call  for  the  great  and  inestimable 
help  of  God,  that  we  may  be  quit  and  saved  from  this 
imperfection  in  Christ  Jesu,  and  accounted  in  him  the 

Rom.  viii.  children  of  God  and  satisfiers  of  the  law.  E.om.  viii.  For 
by  this  law  is  required  such  a  charity  and  sincere  love 
towards  God  and  man,  that  the  mind  should  not  have  as 
much  as  any  contrary  motion,  or  any  resistance  at  all,  to 
stain  the  glory  and  beauty  of  this  love,  which  comprehendeth 
all  those  commandments  afore  rehearsed.    As  Christ  saith. 

Matt. xxii.  Matt.  xxii.  Mark  xii.,  and  likewise  Matt.  vii.  "All  things 

Markxii.28.  that  ye  would  men  should  do  to  you,  the  same  do  ye  to 
^        'them;  this  is  the  law,  and  the  prophets." 

So  that  by  these  words  ye  may  know,  what  is  the 
scope  and  end  of  the  law :  truly  none  other  thing,  than 
to  bring  men  to  justice  and  honesty  of  life,  and  to  make 
him  like  unto  the  law,  and  so  unto  Almighty  God,  whose 
image  the  law  expresseth ;  and  the  more  man  conformeth 
himself  to  live  after  the  law,  the  more  he  resembleth  the 
Almighty  God,  giver  of  the  law.  Moses,  when  he  would 
briefly  call  unto  remembrance  the  sum  of  God's  laws,  saith: 
£J(  nunc,  Israel,  quid  petit  abs  te  Dominus  Deus  tuus,  nisi 
ut  timeas  Domimm,  et  ambules  in  mis  ejus ;  diligas  eum 
ac  servias  ei  in  toto  corde  et  tota  anima  ;  custodiasque  man- 
data  ejus  ?  Deut.  xx.,  that  is  to  say,  "  Therefore  now,  Israel, 
what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  ask  of  thee,  saving  that  thou 
shouldest  fear  the  Lord,  and  walk  in  his  commandments, 
love  him,  and  serve  him,  with  all  thy  heart  and  life,  and 
to  keep  his  commandments  V — and  repeateth  the  same 
words  again,  22nd  chapter.  The  law  would  that  our  hearts 
should  be  replenished  with  the  love  of  God,  of  the  which 
love  proceedeth  the  love  towards  our  neighbour,  as  Paul 
writeth,  1  Tim.  i. 


XIII.] 


THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


411 


The  occasion  of  all  hatred  that  we  bear  unto  God,  his  Seif-iove. 
holy  word,  and  our  neighbour,  is  the  love  of  ourselves, 
and  the  vanity  of  this  world.     In  this  commandment  is 
not  only  forbid  the  effect  of  ill,  but  also  the  affect'  and 
desire  towards  ill:  not  only  the  affect',  lust,  concupiscence, 
proneness,  inclination,  desire,  and  appetite  towards  ill ;  but 
also,  when  man  is  most  destitute  of  sin,  and  most  full 
of  virtue,   most   far-   from   the  devil,  and   nearest  to 
God,  out  of  hell,  and  in  heaven,  Philippens.  iii. ;   yet  is  Phii.  iii.  20. 
his  works  so  imperfect,  that  if  it  were  not  for  the  free, 
liberal,  and  merciful  imputation  of  justice  in  Christ  Jesu, 
man  were  damned,  Rom.  vii.  viii.  Psalm  cxliii.    He  that  Rom.vii.25. 
considereth  this  precept  well,  shall  the  better  perceive  the  Psal.  cxliii. 
greatness  of  God's  infinite  mercy,  and  understand  the  article 
and  doctrine  of  free  justification  by  faith. 

For  although  grace  prevent  the  doing  of  good,  and  our  works 

on-,  1  ,     •       ji  1  f.    /    cannot  fulfil 

lollow  it  never  so  much ;  yet  is  the  work  unperfect,  the  law. 
and  satisfieth  not  the  perfection  of  the  law  :  only  it  is 
Chrisfs  merits  that  we  be  saved  by.  The  which  article 
the  devil  most  envieth,  and  goeth  about  to  oppress  as  much 
as  is  possible.  Confess  thyself  therefore  in  thy  most  perfec- 
tion, and  say :  "  Lord  God,  have  pity  and  compassion  upon 
me  always  and  for  ever,  thy  unprofitable  servant,"  Luke  Luke : 
xvii. 

And  when  thou  speakest  of  grace,  remember  it  is  not 
only  the  free  gift  of  God  to  prevent  thee  in  doing  well, 
and  to  follow  thee  in  the  same ;  but  also  free  imputation 
of  life  eternal,  which  thou  canst  not  merit,  neither  with 
grace,  neither  without  grace.    For,  as  I  said  before,  to  what 
perfection  soever  thou  be  come  unto,  this  law  accuseth  thee  : 
"  Thou  shalt  not  covet."     But  because  thou  trowest  and 
believe  in  Christ  Jesu,  thou  shalt  be  saved,  John  iii.  iv.  John  iii.  iv. 
V.  vi.  :  and  whereas  the  law  promiseth  nothing  but  upon  cunist  hath 
such  condition  as  we  perform  it  to  the  uttermost,  Christ  The'ia^for 
Jesu  taketh  from  her  the  rigour  and  extremity  of  her 
justice  in  us,  and  layeth  it  upon  himself ;  so  that  the  bliss 
eternal,  that  the  law  promiseth  for  works,  God  giveth  unto 
us  by  grace,  for  his  sake  that  only  satisfied  the  law,  Christ 
Jesus.    Rom.  v.  Ephes.  i.  Coloss.  i.  Galat.  iv.  Iphl'il"?'''* 

Col.'i.  14." 

['  Old  editions,  theffect.']  Gal.  W.  6. 

Ferrist,  A,  farrest,  B,  far,  C] 


;  xvii. 

10. 


412  A    DKCLARATION   OF    THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  [  CH. 

Rom.  iv.  3,  And  in  this  argument  of  free  justification  writeth  Saint 
Paul  in  the  eleven  first  chapters  in  the  epistle  to  the 
Romans ;  where  as  in  the  fourth  [chapter]'  he  putteth  Abra- 
ham for  an  example,  that  is  the  father  of  all  behevers,  in 
whom  we  may  see  how  the  friends  of  God  are  justified, 
or  obtain  the  favour  of  God;    and  saith,  that  Abraham 

Gen.  XV.  6.  was  justified  by  faith,  Gen.  xv.,  and  before  circumcision. 

Where  as  thou  seest  two  things :  one,  that  the  uncircum- 
cised  was  justified  ;  the  other,  that  no  man  was  justified 
by  the  merits  or  benefits  of  the  sacrament.  Likewise,  he 
was  promised  to  be  the  heir  of  the  world,  because  of  him 
should  be  born  Christ  Jesu,  the  Lord  of  the  world.  H 
credidit,  non  per  legem  meruit :  "  This  he  believed,  and  not 

Gal.  iii.  6, 7,  by  the  law  merited."    Gal.  iii. 

17  18. 

Another  reason  Paul  allegeth,  that  Abraham,  and  all 
other,  are  justified  by  faith.  It  is  not  possible,  that  the 
promise  of  God  should  be  irritated  or  made  vain  ;  but  if 
it  dependeth  of  the  justice  of  the  law,  it  could  not  be 
certain :  therefore  addeth  he,  "  Freely  by  faith."  Which 
faith,  in  obtaining  remission  of  sin,  beholdeth  only  the  mercy 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesu,  and  looketh  upon  none  other  merits. 
Yet  mark  more :   he  saith  that  grace  is  the  heritage 

Rom.  iv.  16.  of  the  believer,  by  the  justice  of  faith.    Romanorum  iv. 

Rom.  iv.  13.  Then  it  is  not  merit.  Hceredes  nascimur,  non  emimus :  "  We 
are  born  heirs,  and  buy  it  not ;"  as  those  say  that  attri- 
bute remission  of  sin  to  works  or  sacraments ;  which  doth 
testify  or  confirm  the  friends  of  God,  and  not  make  them 

Rom.  iv.  11.  God's  friends.    Rom.  iv. 

Thus  thou  seest,  what  the  law  is,  how  thou  art  bound 
studiously  to  obey  it,  and  how  it  is  fulfilled  in  Christ  Jesu ; 
whose  justice  is  thine,  if  thou  believe  in  him,  as  though 
thou  hadst  perfectly  satisfied  the  law  thyself. 


Supplied  from  C] 


XIV.] 


OF  TIME   AND  PLACE. 


418 


CERTAIN  OBJECTIONS,  THAT  KEEPETH  MAN  FROM  THE 
OBEDIENCE  OF  GODS  LAWS,  SOLUTED. 


CAPUT  XIV. 
1.    Of  Time  and  Place. 
As  it  is  the  manner  of  all  orators,  not  only  to  stablish  The  custom 

and  manner 

the  matter  they  entreat  of  with  such  reasons,  arguments,  of  orators, 
and  probations,  as  best  may  confirm  and  stablish  their 
purpose ;   but  also  add  such  reasons,  as  may  incline  the 
hearers  to  favour  the  thing  spoken,  and  likewise  leave  in 
their  minds  such  persuasions,  as  might  in  manner  prick  them 
forth,  and  by  force  constrain  them  to  put  in  effect  and 
practice  the  thing  spoken  of;  and  then  to  remove  such 
impediments,  and  break  the  force  of  such  contrary  argu- 
ments, as  may  be  objected,  to  let  the  thing  they  would 
obtain  and  prove :   so  doth  Moses  in  the  book  of  Deute-  Moses,  his 
ronomy,  as  thou  heardest  before,  leave  no  argument  nor  suasions  to 
reason  unspoken  of,  that  might  excitate,  stir  up,  provoke,  of  God'.''  '^"^ 
and  force  us  to  the  love,  obedience,  and  execution  of  God's 
laws,  as  the  28th  chapter  of  Deuteronomy  sheweth.    In  Deut.xxviii. 
the  29th  and  80th  he  reraoveth  all  the  obiections,  impedi-  Deut.  xxix. 

Deut.  XXX. 

ments,  and  lets,  that  withholdeth  us  from  the  obedience  and 
doing  of  God's  laws. 

The  first  sophism  or  carnal  objection  is,  when  men  say.  The  first 
"  It  is  no  place  nor  time  now  to  learn  or  obey  the  word  "^j^"^"""' 
of  God  :   we  be  not  in  a  monastery,  in  the  school,  or  in 
the  temple ;   we  be  in  the  broad  world,  and  must  do  as 
other  men  do,  and  rather  serve  the  place  we  be  in,  et  ulu- 
lare  cum  lupis,  bark  with  the  wolf,  than  speak  of  the  proverb, 
scripture."    So  doth  they  reason  of  time  likewise :  "  Now 
it  is  too  dangerous  a  season  to  reason  any  matters ;  let 
it  pass  till  the  world  be  more  quiet and  such  like.  As 
the  Israelites  might  have  said  to  Moses,  that  commanded 
to  observe  this  law  when  they  came  into  the  lapd  of  Canaan : 
We  observed  not  these  precepts  in  the  wilderness ;  where- 
fore then  more  in  Canaan?    We  kept  them  not  for  the 


414         A  DECLARATION   OF    THE    TEN   COMMANDMENTS,  L*^^' 

space  of  forty  years,  no  more  will  we  hereafter.  This 
objection  he  breaketh,  and  proveth  that  the  law  should 
be  always  observed,  and  in  every  place ;  and  sheweth  how 
the  observation  of  the  law  was  rewarded,  and  the  neglecting 
of  it  punished ;  and  declareth  the  same  by  examples.  God 
fed  his  friends  in  the  desert  by  miracle  from  heaven,  and 
preserved  all  their  apparel,  that  it  consumed  not,  nor  perish- 
ed in  the  wearing  for  the  space  of  forty  years.  Then  of 
Deut.xxix.  Pharao,  and  the  two  great  kings  of  Hesbon  and  Basan, 
Sehon  and  Og. 


CAPUT  XV. 

2.    Exception  of  Persons. 

Thp  second  The  second  objection  is,  when  men  put  from  them- 
objection.  gg|ygg  ^jjg  obedience  of  the  law  unto  other,  saying,  "  Let 
the  priests  and  monks  keep  the  law,  and  learn  it ;  what 
should  a  prince,  magistrate,  or  gentleman  be  bound  to 
learn  and  keep  all  those  holy  rules  V  Further,  "  Youth 
cannot  be  tied  to  so  strait  canons ;  it  must  not  so  be 
bridled.  Such  as  be  parked  in  with  high  walls,  and 
separated  from  the  world,  must  observe  these  command- 
ments of  God." 

This  wicked  acceptation  of  persons  Moses  destroyeth, 
and  most  godly  repeateth  and  numbereth  the  members 
of  the  church,  the  orders  and  degrees^  of  the  same;  re- 
peateth the  words  of  the  alliance,  saying :  Vos  omnes  liodie 
statis  coram  Domino  Deo  vestro,  principes  vestri,  tribus  vestrce, 
seniores  vesfri,  prcefecti  restri,  atque  omnes  mri  Israel,  parmdi 
quoque  vestri,  uxores  vestras,  et  peregrinus  tuns,  c^'c. ;  that  is  to 
Deut.  xxix.  say,  "  All  ye  this  day  stand  before  the  Lord  your  God, 
10, 1),  12.  y^^^^  princes,  your  tribes,  your  elders,  your  officers,  and 
all  men  of  Israel,  your  children,  your  wives,  and  thy  guest," 
and  so  forth.  Read  the  place.  And  why  they  stood  before 
the  Lord,  the  text  declareth,  to  enter  alliance  with  him. 
No  manner  of  person  is  excluded  from  the  league  :  whereby 
we  know,  as  God's  mercy  is  common  for  all  men,  which 

Old  editionSj  decrees.'] 


XVI.] 


PRESUMPTION. 


415 


is  the  first  part  of  the  condition  expressed  in  the  league ;  Like  obedi- 
so  alike  is  the  obedience  towards  the  law  required  of  all  lawrequired 
men,  specially  of  such  as  be  the  governors  of  the  people 
in  the  ministry  of  the  church,  or  else  in  the  governance 
of  the  commonwealth.  If  the  preacher  be  ignorant  of  God's 
word,  and  of  a  dissolute  life,  what  godliness  or  virtue  can 
there  be  in  his  hearers?  If  the  king,  prince,  magistrate, 
or  rulers  of  the  commonwealth,  nor  know  God's  laws,  nor 
follow  justice,  equity,  temperancy,  nor  sobriety ;  what  honesty 
or  virtue  can  they  look  to  have  in  their  subjects?  They 
must  give  example  of  all  virtue.  Let  them  beware  betime, 
that  use  these  objections:  for  if  they  think  to  have  God 
for  their  God,  let  them  observe  his  alliance  ;  for  he  will 
punish  the  transgressors  without  respect  of  persons,  who- 
soever it  be. 


CAPUT  XVI. 
3.  Presumption. 

The  third  objection  or  satanical  sophism  is  presumption  The  third 
or  security  of  God's  will ;  when  men  knoweth  what  is  to  be 
done,  yet  against  his  knowledge,  presuming  of  God's  mercy, 
doth  the  thing  that  is  ill.  This  horrible  sin  extendeth 
wondrous  far.  The  one  sitteth  in  judgment,  and  falsely 
judgeth ;  the  other  climbeth  to  honour  and  riches  by  flat- 
tery, usury,  simony,  extortion,  fraud,  and  pilling  of  the  poor ; 
the  other  holdeth  ill  the  truth  to  be  spoken,  and  letteth  out 
the  lies  that  should  be  kept  in,  with  all  such  other  like  vices, 
as  reign  now-a-days  in  the  world.  They  hear  by  the  words 
of  God,  that  those  ills  and  abominations  be  cursed  of  God ; 
yet  hope  they  the  contrary,  and  think  yet  to  have  God's 
favour,  as  the  text  saith,  Deut.  xxix.  Read  and  mark  it  :  oeut.  xxix. 
Cum  audierit  verha  juramenti  Imjus,  benedicat  sibi  in  corde  suo, 
dicens,  Pax  erit  mihi,  etiamsi  incessero  in  imaginatione  cordis 
mei,  ut  addat  ebriam  sitienti;  that  is  to  say,  "When  he  hearetli 
the  words  of  this  oath  (where  God  sweareth  to  punish  the 
ill,  Deut.  xxviii.),  he  promiseth  good  to  himself,  saying  in  hia 


416 


A   DECLARATION   OP   THE    TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


heart,  Yea,  if  I  walk  in  the  imagination  of  my  heart,  and 
take  my  pleasure,  there  is  no  danger." 
Presump-         This  diabolical  presumption  is  the  occasion  that  men  not 
o'ccasion  of  only  fall  into  divers  kinds  of  abomination,  but  also  persevere 
insin."^"''*  in  the  same  ill.    Let  every  man  judge  his  own  conscience, 
and  see.    Against  the  word  of  God  he  taketh  hope,  as  it 
seemeth  him,  of  God's  mercy ;  which  is  no  hope  at  all,  but 
the  very  withe  and  halter  of  the  devil  to  strangle  at  length 
him  that  is  thus  persuaded  in  this  ill  and  dangerous  opinion. 
They  think  it  is  faith,  whereas  it  is  very  arrogancy ;  a  true 
knowledge  of  God,  when  it  is  but  a  devilish  illusion,  and 
false  opinion  of  man,  as  it  appeareth  in  the  same  place  by 
Moses'  words  :  Non  agnoscit  Dominus,  ut  propitidur  ei ;  sed 
fumabit  tunc  furor  Domini,  et  zelus  ejus  in  mrum  istum,  et 
cuhabit  super  eum  omnis  maledictio  quce  scripta  est  in  Uhro 
Dent.  xxix.  isto,  dehhUque  Dominus  nomen  ejus  sub  coelo.   Deut.  xxix. 

that  is  to  say  :  "  The  Lord  will  not  favour  him,  but  then  be 
angry,  and  kindle  his  ire  against  this  man  ;  so  that  every 
malediction  written  in  this  book  shall  rest  upon  him,  and  the 
Lord  shall  destroy  his  name  under  heaven."  Read  the 
place,  and  learn  to  avoid  such  security  and  sinister  judg- 
ment of  God  and  his  nature. 
Theori^iiiai       The  Original  and  fountain  from  whence  this  presump- 

causecifpre-    .  ....  ,  •        ^_^  '  i 

sumption,  tion  sprmgeth  is  ignorancy,  and  a  trust  in  other  men  s 
virtues,  for  whose  merits  they  think  to  be  saved.  Some 
say,  they  have  angels  and  archangels,  and  many  other  holy 
saints  in  heaven,  that  commend  their  salvation  to  God. 
Another  trusteth  to  such  works  as  may  be  done  upon  the 
earth  for  him,  and  he  do  nothing  himself,  but  live  as  he 
list,  in  a  vain  hope,  to  have  solace  in  iniquity. 

How  pre-         This  great  offence  is  nourished  divers    ways :  first, 

sumption  is  .  p   r\    -t-  i        i  • 

nourished,  when  men  judge  not  aright  oi  God  s  nature,  that  he  is  as 
angry  with  sin  as  the  scripture  saith. 

The  second,  when  men  judge  amiss  of  God's  works : 
when  they  see  he  punished  one  for  sin,  he  thinketh  not 
that  the  same  punishment  appertaineth  unto  hini.  Moses 
teacheth,  and  setteth  before  the  people  the  works  of  God, 
his  wonders  and  marvels  done  in  Egypt,  in  the  cities  of 
Sedom  and  Aemorra,  Adma  and  Seboim,  the  which  the  Lord 
Deut. xxix.  subverted  in  his  ire  and  fury;  and  said  these  works  only 
^"  punished  not  those  that  offended,  but  also  should  teach 


XVI.] 


PRESUMPTION. 


417 


all  other  men  to  avoid  God's  displeasure ;  for  to  that  end 
miracles  of  punishments  be  done,  as  Christ  saith,  Luke  XIII.  Luke  xiii. 
to  forewarn  men  of  the  ill  to  come ;   and  thus  hath  he  ' 
always  called  men  to  penance. 

If  they  would  still  be  naught,  at  length  he  punished  Strangre 
cruelly :  as  not  only  the  holy  histories  of  the  bible  testify,  sent  of  God 
where  as  ye  see  kings  and  kingdoms  changed  and  destroyed ;  to  repent-" 
but  also  in  profane  writers  ye  shall  see  by  what  miracles 
God  called  the  magistrates  and  people  of  the  common- 
wealth to  repentance.    Titus  Livius,  lihro  tertio  de  secundo 

Liv.  lib.  iii. 

bello  Punico,  writeth  that  an  ox  calved  a  horse  V  In  the*^'*'^"' 
seventh  book  a  pig  with  a  man's  mouth**,  and  a  child  born 
with  an  elephant's  head^  Valerius  '  writeth,  libro  i.  cap.  iv.  vaier.  Max. 
that  a  mare  foaled  a  hare  in  the  king  of  the  Persians' 
camp,  called  Xerxes,  who,  as  some  writers  record,  brought 
against  the  Athenians  1,700,000  men  of  war,  whom  Themis- 
tocles,  the  captain  of  the  Greeks,  overcame  in  the  sea. 
Herodotus  writeth  this  history  at  large  "'  Had  king  Xerxes 
considered  the  work  of  God,  he  might  have  learned  that 
there  was  a  God  that  would  turn  the  force  and  courage  of 
his  horsemen  into  the  fear  and  timidity  of  the  timorous 
and  fearful  hare.    Livius^  lib.  iii.  de  urbis  oriqine,  writeth  Liv.  lib.  iii. 

De  urb. 

how  the  heavens  burned  and  divided  itself  in  two ;  Lib.  ii.  ongine'. 
de  secundo  hello  Punico,  the  sea-banks  burned,'  the  sun 
was  seen  to  fight  with  the  moon^,  and  likewise  two  moons 
to  be  seen  in  the  day.     Lib.  iii.  he  saith  that  the  sea 
burned. 

['  Mare  arsit  eo  anno  :  ad  Sinuessam  bos  equuleum  peperit.  Liv. 
Lib.  XXIII.  cap.  31.] 

P  Tarquiniis  porcum  cum  ore  humano  genitum.  Ibid.  Lib.  xxvii. 
cap.  4.] 

P  Cum  elephanti  capite  puerum  natum.  Ibid.  Lib.  xxvii.  cap.  11.]] 
In  exercitu  Xerxis,  quern  adversus  Graeciam  contraxerat,  equse 
partu  leporem  editum  constat^  eodem  montem  Athon  vix  tandem  trans- 
gresso.   Quo  genere  monstri  tanti  apparatus  significatus  est  eventus,  &c. 
Valer.  Max.  Lib.  i.  cap.  6.  Externa,  i.] 

['  Herodoti.  Hist.  Lib.  vii.] 

[®  Coelum  visum  est  ardere  plurimo  igni :  portentaque  alia,  &c.  Tit. 
Livii.  Lib.  iii.  cap.  5,  Eo  anno  coelum  ardere  visum,  terra  ingenti  con- 
cussa  motu  est ;  bovem  locutam  cui  rei  priore  anno  fides  non  fuerat,  cre- 
ditum,  &c.   Ibid.  cap.  10.] 

(7  Arpis  parmas  in  coelo  visas,  pugnantemque  cum  luna  solem :  et 
Capense  duas  interdiu  lunas  ortas.    Ibid.  Lib.  xxii.  cap.  1.] 

27 

[hooper.] 


418  A    DECLARATION    OF   THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


These  supernatural  works  might  have  taught  the  people 
of  those  days  amendment  of  life,  had  they  not  been  blind, 
as  we  be  ;  that  never  take  profit  by  any  work  of  God,  other- 
wise than  to  eat  the  revenues  of  the  earth,  as  the  brute 
beasts  of  the  same,  nor  no  more  knowledge  of  God  by  the 
motions  of  the  heavens,  than  the  ox  or  horse,  that  likewise 
see  them,  and  yet  neither  the  wiser,  neither  the  better.  If 
Psai.  viii.  we  marked  the  eighth  and  nineteenth  psalms,  we  should 
sa .  XIX.    jjjj^^  ^j^gy         jjjg^^jg      another  end.    The  gentiles  shame 

us  all  away,  that  learned  by  the  revolution  of  the  year, 
that  nothing  was  durable  in  this  mortal  life : 

[Od.  vii.]  Imnwrtalia  ne  speres  monet  annus,  et  almum 

Quee  rapit  hora  diem^.  Horat.  Carmin.  Lib.  iv. 

The  third  reason  is,  that  men  judge  amiss  of  God's 
promises,  that  saith  he  will  punish  doubtless  for  sin  all 
manner  of  people,  be  they  never  so  strong,  as  the  prophets 
always  testify.  Hieremy  in  especial :  he  said,  if  the  people 
converted  not  from  their  doing  of  ill,  God  would  keep  pro- 
mise with  them,  and  destroy  their  land :  but  they  believed 
it  not,  but  said,  Templum  Domini,  templtim  Domini,  templwm 
jer.  vii.  3, 4.  Domini ;  "  The  temple  of  God,  the  temple  of  God,  the  temple 
"  \  of  God.'"  They  judged  then,  as  many  do  now-a-day ;  when 
they  see  their  cities  and  country  strong,  they  think  it  not 
possible  to  be  overcome.  So  thought  the  Trojans,  and 
deceived  themselves,  as  the  prophecy  of  Nereus  forespake  : 

Hora.  lib.  i.  Post  certas  hyemes  uret  AchcCicus 

Ignis  Iliacas  domos".  Horat.  Carm.  Lib.  i. 

Another  so  esteemeth  the  force  of  the  people,  and 
putteth  their  confidence  in  the  same,  saying :  "  Let  this 
babbling  preacher  say  what  a'  list ;  God  is  not  so  cruel  as 
he  speaketh  of :  it  shall  cost  many  a  broken  head  before 
any  enemy  enter  any  parcel  of  our  commonwealth."  But 
trust  to  it,  if  sin  be  not  banished,  the  ire  of  God  will  find 
a  way  in  at  last;  and  the  deferring  thereof  is  only  to  call 
us  to  a  better  life,  and  not  that  he  is  asleep,  or  approveth 

The  revolving  year,  and  the  hour  which  hurries  away  the  beauti- 
ful day,  admonishes  us  not  to  hope  for  immortality.] 

["  After  a  certain  number  of  winters  the  Grecian  fire  shall  burn  the 
houses  of  Troy.] 


XVI.] 


PRESUMPTION. 


419 


our  ill  life :  Rom.  ii.  As  thou  seest  example  of  the  Israelites  Rom.  ii.  4. 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  was  passing  strong,  and  the 
inhabitants  thereof  the  only  commonwealth  of  God,  as  they 
said,  "  The  temple  of  God,  the  temple  of  God yet  at 
the  last  Nabucadnezer,  that  they  looked  not  for,  was  their 
destruction,  Esay  xxii.  Mark  the  punishment  and  the  isai.  xxii. 
cause  thereof,  which  was  sin ;  and  learn  to  beware,  taught 
by  another  man's  ill. 


CAPUT  XVII. 
4.  Curiosity/. 

The  fourth  let  or  impediment  is  curiosity,  and  overmuch  T^^ 

,  ,  ,         ^  impedi- 

searching  the  privities  and  secrets  of  God ;  when  men  of  an  ment. 
ill  and  licentious  life  return  not  to  penance,  as  the  scripture 
biddeth,  but  mounteth  straightway  into  God's  providence 
and  predestination ;  contemning  the  will  of  God  that  is 
made  open  to  him  in  the  scripture,  that  God  would  him  now 
to  repent,  and  to  receive  grace ;  searcheth  to  know  the 
thing  that  never  was  made  open  to  man  or  angel,  the  event 
and  end  of  things  to  come ;  thus  reasoneth  with  himself : 
"  Who  knoweth  what  his  last  hour  shall  be  ?  Wherefore 
favoureth  God  the  one,  and  not  the  other  ?  Sometime  the 
good  maketh  an  ill  end,  and  the  ill  a  good."  In  this  opinion 
and  inscrutable  mystery  he  weareth  all  his  wits,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  cogitations  findeth  more  abstruse  and  doubtful 
objections  than  at  the  beginning ;  so  that  he  cometh  from 
this  school  neither  wiser  neither  better. 

Moses,  Deut.  xxix.,  removeth  this  ungodly  let  and  im-  ^eut.  xxix. 
pediment,  saying :  Secrefa  Domini  Dei  nostri  revelata  sunt 
nobis  et  filiis  nostris  usque  in  sceculum,  ut  faciamus  omnia 
verba  hgis  hujus ;  that  is  to  say,  "  The  secrets  of  the.  Lord 
our  God  are  made  open  unto  us,  and  unto  our  children  for 
ever,  that  we  do  all  the  precepts  of  this  law."  The  which 
words  plainly  condemneth  our  foolish  and  audacious  pre- 
sumption, that  seeketh  to  know  what  shall  happen  unto  us 

27—2 


420  A   DECLARATION   OF   THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [CH. 


in  the  hour  of  death,  and  will  not  know  the  thing  that 
should  be  done  in  all  our  lives  ;  to  say,  that  God  would  have 
us  know  the  thing  that  is  opened  unto  us  in  the  scrip- 
ture, God's  mercy  promised  in  Christ  Jesu,  and  follow  him 
in  all  virtue:  if  we  offend,  to  repent,  and  leave  sin;  then 
hath  he  promised  mercy,  and  will  give  it ;  as '  Moses  saith, 

Deut.xxx.8.  cap.  XXX.  Deut,,  "  Do  the  thing  that  thou  art  bid  to  do,  and 
follow  the  will  of  God  made  open  unto  thee  in  his  word." 

As  for  the^  disputation  of  God's  providence,  is  a  curiosity 
and  no  religion,  a  presumption  and  no  faith,  a  let  of  virtue 
and  furtherance  of  vice.  When  thou  hearest  penance  spoken 
of,  learn  that  lesson  out  of  hand,  lest  peradventure  thou  be 
never  good  scholar  in  theology*  of  God's  laws.  It  fareth 
many  times  with  us,  that  long  go  to  school  in  divinity,  and 
yet  never  good  divines,  as  it  fareth  in  the  school  of  rhetoric : 
where  as  if  at  the  beginning  the  scholar  profit  not,  as  Aris- 
totle saith,  shall  never  be  good  orator.     Therefore  Moses 

Deut.  xxix.  saith  in  the  29th  chap.  Deut.,  Non  dedit  Dominus  vobis 
cor  ad  intelligeiidum  et  oculos  ad  mdendum  atque  aures  ad 
audiendnm  usque  in  praisentem  diem ;  that  is  to  say,  "  God 
gave  you  not  a  heart  to  understand,  eyes  to  see,  nor  ears 
to  hear  until  this  present  day."  Here  doth  Moses  speak 
ironice,  and  seemeth  to  deny  the  thing  he  would  affirm. 
As  Aristotle  or  Cicero  might  say,  when  they  have  applied 
all  their  labour,  and  done  the  best  they  can  to  make  their 
scholars  learned,  yet  profiteth  nothing,  then  depart  out  of 
the  school,  and  say  unto  their  audience,  "  I  never  opened 
unto  you  the  science  that  I  taught  you ;" — not  that  the 
fault  was  in  them*,  but  in  the  auditors  that  neglected  their 
diligence  and  doctrine :  so  doth  Moses  now  speak  of  God ; 
not  that  the  fault  was  in  him,  that  those  unkind  people 
understood  not  the  doctrine  he  taught,  but  in  themselves, 
as  it  appeareth  in  the  text :  for  he  useth  now  the  rod  of 
persecution,  punisheth  them,  beateth  them,  yea,  and  killeth 
them,  because  they  would  not  learn  the  thing  he  taught 
them :  yea,  farther,  he  sheweth  that  his  pleasure  was  they 
should  choose  the  good,  and  leave  the  ill,  to  be  in  wealth, 
and  avoid  the  woe. 


[1  As,  supplied  from  A.]  Thy,  A,  the,  B  and  C] 

Theology,  A  and  B,  divinity,  C] 
I*  Them,  A,  him,  B  and  C] " 


XVII.j 


CURIOSITY. 


421 


This  argument  he  proveth  of  his  own  nature,  which  is  Deut.  xxx. 
amiable,  loving,  and  holy,  inclined  to  do  well  unto  man,  and 
to  be  at  peace  with  him.  But  because  man  of  his  own 
malice  contemneth  the  word  and  doctrine  of  God,  he  is  not 
only  rigorous  and  severe  against  man,  but  also  he  waxeth 
so  angry  for  sin,  as  he  that  chafeth  and  moveth  himself, 
that  all  men  may  perceive  by  his  countenance  he  is  offended : 
therefore  saith  the  text,  Fumahit  furor  Domini^  Deut.  xxix. ;  Deut.  xxix. 
that  is  to  say,  "  the  fury  of  God  shall  smoke  against  the 
sinner." 

Our  gospellers  be  better  learned  than  the  Holy  Ghost. 
For  they  wickedly  attribute  the  cause  of  punishment  and 
adversity  to  God's  providence,  which  is  the  cause  of  no  ill, 
as  he  himself  can  do  no  ill ;  and  of  every  mischief  that  is 
done  they  say,  it  was  God's  will.  The  Holy  Ghost  putteth 
another  cause,  as  it  is  written  here,  Deut.  xxix. ;  that  is 
to  say,  sin  in  man,  and  the  contempt  of  his  holy  word. 

Further,  the  pain  is  not  inflicted  by  predestination  to 
lose^  man  ;  but  both  predestination  and  the  affliction  ex- 
tendeth  to  call  man  from  damnation.  Ezech.  xxxiii.,  1  Cor.  Ezek.xxxiii. 

1  Coi*  xi 

xi.,  Psal.  cxviii.,  Apoc.  iii.,  Esay  xxvi.,  Heb.  xii.,  Prov.  iii.,  Psai.  cxix. 
Matt,  xi.,  Rom.  xi.,  Esay  Ixi.    The  blind  soothsayers  that  isai.'xxyi. 
writ  of  things  to  come,  are  more  to  be  esteemed  than  these 
curious  and  high-climbing  wits ;  for  they  attribute  the  cause 
of  ill  unto  the  ill  respects  and  sinister  conjunctions  of  the 
planets. 

Refuse  not  therefore  the  grace  offered,  nor,  once  received, 
banish  it  not  with  ill  conversation.  If  we  fall,  let  us  hear 
Almighty  God,  that  calleth  us  to  repentance  with  his  word, 
and  return.  Let  us  not  continue  in  sin,  nor  heap  one  sin 
upon  the  other,  lest  at  last  we  come  to  a  contempt  of  God 
and  his  word ;  for  remission  is  promised  to  as  many  as 
repent,  as  Moses  sheweth  in  the  30th  chapter  of  Deuterono-  Deut.  xxx. 
my,  and  likewise  all  the  scripture,  and  examples  thereof. 

But  remember  what  the  text  saith,  that  thou  must 
convert  unto  God,  [and]  that  by  the  means  and  mediation 
of  Christ,  and  that  with  all  thy  heart ;  and  then  thou  mayest 
find  remedy.  Convert  not  to  superstition,  and  buy  [not]" 
a  mass  for  thy  sins,  or  look  [for]"'  help  of  any  saint,  but 

["  i.  e.  ruin,  cause  him  to  be  lost.    Lost,  A,  lose,  B,  loose,  C.~\ 
\^  Supplied  from  C] 


422  A   DECLAKATION   OF   THE   TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  L^H. 

John  XV.  only  of  God,  as  his  word  teacheth,  John  xv. ;  for  he  that 
strake  thee  for  sin,  can  heal  thee  again.  Say  not  in  adversity, 
as  Cicero  did,  Nisi  quis  Deus  'eel  casus  aliquis  subvenerit, 

cic.  lib.     salvi  esse  nequeamus.  Lib.  XVI.  Epist.  148.    ["  Except  God, 

Ep.  XVi.  '  ,,-,1        -rj,  .l 

[12,  init.]  or  some  good  hap  do  save  us,  we  cannot  escape.  J  tor  tnere 
is  nothing  in  heaven  nor  earth  that  sayeth,  but  God  alone. 


CAPUT  XVIII. 
5.  Desperation. 

The  fifth  im-  The  fifth  let  or  impediment  is  desperation,  when  as  men 
pediment,   ^j^j^^j^  ^^^Qy  cannot  be  saved,  but  are  excluded  from  all  mercy. 

And  this  is  not  a  Hght  and  small  let  for  men  that  hath 
offended ;  and  is  contrary  unto  presumption.  For  pre- 
sumption hath  some  simile  and  shew  of  hope ;  for  although 
man  offend  the  will  of  God,  yet  doth  he  trust  in  the  doing 
and  perseverance  of  ill,  that  God  wiU  not  punish  :  the  which 
impiety  and  wickedness  taketh  from  God  his  justice. 
Desperation       Of  the  Contrary  nature  is  desperation ;  it  taketh  from 

detracteth  .  . 

from  God's  God  his  mercv :  for  when  they  offend  and  continue  m  sin, 

mercy.  .  . 

they  think  there  is  no  mercy  left  for  them ;  the  which  sin 
How  men    and  blasphemy  thus  proceedeth  in  man.     The  desperate 

become  . 

desperate,  person  hath  now  his  eye  in  God's  justice ;  readeth,  heareth, 
and  seeth,  how  cruelly  and  with  rigour  he  revengeth  the 
transgression  of  his  law ;  beholdeth  the  examples  in  whom 
God  executed  the  same  rigour  and  punishment,  that  his  con- 
science is  oppressed  withal;  considereth  his  own  strength  which 
is  prone  unto  nothing  but  unto  ill;  seeth  how  difficile 
and  hard  the  things  be  that  God  commandeth,  specially 
because  of  his  accustom  and  long  continuance  in  sin. 

This  discourse  and  progress  in  that  knowledge  of  sin 
beareth  him  in  hand,  that  it  is  impossible  to  return  unto 
God :  then  doth  they  for  the  most  part  abridge  and  short- 
eneth  their  own  days,  or  else  choose  another  kind  of  life 

fus.'^''"''''^"  ^^^^         appointeth  in  the  scripture.     As  Sardanapalus, 

['  Supplied  from  C.~| 


xvm.] 


DESPERATION. 


423 


the  last  king  of  the  Assyrians,  prescribed  at  his  death  this 
rule  to  live  by,  and  left  the  word  of  God ;  of  whom  Justinus 
writeth,  Lib.  i.  [cap.  3.] 

Ede,  hihe,  lude ;  post  mortem  nulla  voluptws: 
Cum  te  mortalem  noris,  preesentibus  exple 
Deliciis  animum:  post  mortem  nulla  voluptas. 

That  is  to  say,  "  Eat,  drink,  play,  for  after  death  there  is  no 
joy." — Juvenalis, 

Et  Venere  et  ccenis  et  plumis  Sardanapali.^ 

Moses,  like  a  good  physician,  teacheth  a  remedy  against 
this  dangerous  disease,  and  sheweth  the  way  unto  God; 
declareth  that  God  is  full  of  mercy,  and  ready  to  forgive; 
and  beginneth  his  oration  in  this  manner  unto  such  as  be 
afflicted  and  oppressed  with  sin :  Cum  itaqm  mnerint  super 
te  omnia  verba  ista ;  that  is  to  say,  "  When  there  cometh 
upon  thee  all  those  things,"  Deut.  xxx.  Read  diligently 
the  chapter,  and  mark  it.  Moses  saith  there,  "  When  God 
hath  afflicted  thee  for  thy  sins,  and  thou  returnest  unto 
him  with  all  thy  heart,  he  shall  deliver  thee  from  captivity, 
and  receive  thee  to  his  mercy  again  ^."  Of  the  which  text 
learn  this  doctrine,  that  God  will  always  forgive,  how  many 
and  how  horrible  soever  the  sins  be.  Rom.  v.,  Ezech.  xxxiii.,  Rom.v. 
Rom.  xi.,  John  iii..  Matt.  xi.  And  learn  to  fear  of  presump-  john  iir'" 
tion,  and  to  beware  of  desperation. 

God  desireth  thy  obedience  towards  the  law,  though 
thou  canst  not  fulfil  it.    Likewise,  he  desireth  to  do  well 
unto  thee,  and  not  to  punish  thee.    Hieremy  xx.     Read  Jer.  XX.  12. 
the  place,  and  also  Esay,  chap,  xlix.,  Luke  xv. ;  and  see,  what  isai.  xiix. 
paternal  and  more  than  fatherly  love  God  Almighty  beareth 
unto  all  us  miserable  sinners  in  Christ  Jesu  his  only  Son, 
who  is  ours  by  faith ;  which  faith  solely  and  only  leadeth 
us  to  eternal  life,  as  Christ  saith,  John  iii.  "  So  the  Father  Johniii.  16. 
loved  the  world,  that  he  would  give  his  only  Son  for  it, 
that  all  that  believe  in  him  cannot  perish,  but  hath  life 
everlasting ;"  and  so,  John  vi.  "  He  that  believeth  in  rae  Joim  vi.  4o. 
hath  everlasting  life." 

[-  Juv.  X.  862.    The  lust  and  feasting  and  downy  beds  of  Sarda- 
napalus.] 

P  These  words  are  here  added  in  C] 


424 


A    DECLARATION    OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


But  unto  this  way  of  life  (to  Christ  by  faith)  all  men 
be  not  brought  after  one  sort:  for  as  man's  life  is  not 
maintained  with  one  kind  of  meats,  but  the  child  with  pap, 
the  full  age  with  stronger  meats,  the  health  with  common 
meats,  the  sickness  with  such  as  be  of  lighter  digestion  ; 
so  is  it  in  bringing  man  to  faith  in  Christ  Jesu,  our  Saviour. 
One  doctrine  and  learning  cannot  do  it,  because  there  be 
divers  sorts  of  people  in  the  world :  some  hypocrites,  that 
would  justify  themselves  by  their  works;  these  know  not 
the  greatness  of  sin,  neither  their  own  imperfection,  neither 

John  xvi.  the  damnation  of  God  against  sin.  John  xvi.  This  man 
should  not  have  the  free  remission  of  sin  in  Christ  Jesu 
preached  unto  him  ;  but  the  law  and  ten  commandments, 
that  by  it  he  learn  first  to  know  the  horror  of  sin,  and 
greatness  of  God's  ire  against  it. 

Another  sort  live  without  all  fear  and  honesty  a  filthy 
life,  as  well  of  those  that  confess  the  gospel,  as  those  that 
hateth  it.  Those,  because  they  know  not  the  abomination 
of  their  sin,  and  the  severity  of  God's  anger  against  it, 
be  not  meet  to  have  the  gospel  of  remission  of  sin  preached 
unto  them ;  but  to  be  instructed  in  the  law,  and  rather 
brought  to  a  fear  of  God's  punishment,  that  remaineth  for 
all  impenitent  persons.  They  should  be  excommunicated 
and  punished  with  the  discipline  of  God's  word,  that  first  they 
might  know  their  sin,  and  acknowledge  their  damnation. 

Thus  Christ  taught  the  young  man  that  trusted  in  his 

Matt.  xix.    own  works;  Matt,  xix.,  Mark  x.,  Luke  xviii. :  because  he 

16 

Mark  x.  17.  was  an  hypocrite,  he  preached  not  unto  him  the  gospel  of 

Luke  xviii.  .•' \         o    •      ^  i   i  •  ,  i 

18.  tree  remission  oi  sin,  but  send  him  to  the  law,  and  to  the 

works  thereof;  not  that  he  meant  man  could  fulfil  the 
law,  or  justify  himself  by  the  works  thereof,  or  that  Christ 
would  not  he  should  be  partaker  of  his  mercy ;  but  that 
the  hypocrite  might  come  to  a  knowledge^  of  his  sins,  the 
ire  of  God,  and  damnation  of  himself  by  the  law :  the  which 
thing  known,  he  sliould  be  constrained  of  necessity  to  seek 
his  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesu,  except  he  would  perish 
in  his  sin. 

Saint  Paul  did  not  bid  the  Corinthians  preach  faith 
and  remission  of  sin  unto  the  adulterer  that  continued  in 
sin;  but  bid  them  excommunicate  him,  and  as  many  as  did 

Old  editions,  acknowledije.~\ 


XVlII.] 


DESPERATION. 


425 


like  offence,  and  that  no  man  should  eat  or  drink  with  him. 
1  Corin.  v.  But  unto  such  as  know  their  sins,  and  be  i  cor.  v.  i. 
troubled  with  the  heaviness  thereof,  (as  David  was,  that 
said.  Psalm  xxxviii.,  "  Thy  darts,  Lord,  are  shut^  m  me,  Psa.  xxxviii. 
and  thy  hands  oppresseth  me  ;  no  part  of  my  body  free  ^" 
from  pain,  because  I  have  sinned ;  for  I  am  drowned  in 
sin,  and  the  punishment  thereof  is  more  weighty  than  I 
can  bear ;  the  sores  and  wounds  that  thou  hast  stricken 
me  withal  for  my  sin  stink,  and  speweth  out  filth  and  cor- 
ruption for  my  transgression and  so  forth  with  a  dolorous 
and  lamentable  oration.  Read  the  psalm ;  it  beginneth, 
"  Lord,  chasten  me  not  in  thy  ire there  shalt  thou  learn 
true  penitence :)  to  him  and  such-like,  as  the  law  hath 
wrought  her  office  in,  appertaineth  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  of  remission  of  sin,  and  deliverance  from  hell  in 
Christ  Jesu. 

So  Christ  preached  unto  Mary  Magdalene,  Luke  vii. ;  Luke  vii.  48. 
for  as  she  had  most  grievously^  offended,  so  knew  she  her- 
self, and  was  afflicted  with  the  dolours  of  hell.  When 
she  came  to  Christ  to  know  the  way  to  heaven,  he  send 
her  not  unto  the  law  ;  for  the  law  had  first  done  her 
office  in  her,  and  made  her  afeard:  therefore,  poor  wretch, 
she  heard,  "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven,  and  thy  faith  hath  saved 
thee." 

There  is  another  sort  meet  to  hear  the  gospel,  and  not 
to  be  feared  with  the  law;  to  say,  such  as  hath  through 
Christ  remission  of  their  sin,  and  walketh  by  faith  in  the 
vocation  of  God,  yet  during  this  mortal  life  beareth  about 
with  them  the  relics  and  remnant  of  sin  in  their  bodies  : 
to  these  men  preacheth  Saint  Paul  the  gospel,  Rom.  viii.  Rom.viii.  i. 
Nulla  condemnatio  est  Us  qui  insiti  sunt  Christo  Jesu;  that 
is  to  say,  "  There  is  no  condemnation  unto  them  that  are 
grafted  in  Christ  Jesu;"  lest  this  man  should  too  much  sus- 
tain the  weight  of  the  law,  as  Paul  maketh  exclamation  for 
fear  of  the  rigour  of  it  in  the  seventh  chapter  [of]  Romans.   Rom.  vii. 24. 

Further,  unto  this  man  it  is  also  necessary  to  mingle 
the  law  now  and  then,  to  this  end,  to  keep  him  in  his 
office,  in  the  fear  of  God ;  that  by  the  law  the  affections 
of  the  flesh  may  be  kept  under,  and  by  the  gospel  may 
be  preserved  the  spirit  and  order  of  faith. 

P  Shut  in,  A  and  B,  light  on,  C]  Grounslie,  A.] 


426  A    DECLARATION    OP    THE   TEN   COMMANDMENTS.  [cH. 

This  is  to  preach  in  the  church  of  God:  not  to  fear 
the  sorrowful  conscience  with  the  rigour  of  the  law  ;  neither 
to  flatter  those  hypocrites,  epicures,  and  lascivious  gospellers 
with  the  promise  of  faith,  until  such  time  as  they  amend, 
and  the  law  done  his  ofiice  in  them.  And  in  case  preachers 
had  used  and  applied  the  scripture  to  the  use  it  was  wiitten, 
and  as  their  auditors  had  need,  there  had  never  been  such 
a  sudden  and  horrible  defection  from  the  gospel  in  many 
places,  as  now  we  see. 


CAPUT  XIX. 
6.  Ignorance. 

The  sixth  let  or  impediment,  wherewith  men  excuse 
themselves  from  the  obedience  of  the  law  of  God,  is  the 
pretence  of  ignorancy,  the  which  they  think  shall  excuse 
them.  Thus  they  say  :  "  The  scripture  hath  so  many  myste- 
ries in  itself,  and  is  too  hard  for  our  capacity.  Sometime 
the  letter,  sometime  the  spirit,  and  sometime  both  must 
be  understood."  Further  they  say :  "  The  doctors  brawl 
and  chide  between  themselves,  and  how  should  the  un- 
learned understand  it  aright  V  "  Who  can  tell,"  saith 
another,  "  whether  this  be  the  true  law  or  not  ?  If  it  were 
the  true  law  of  God,  then  should  it  contain  all  verities, 
and  have  no  need  of  man's  laws." 

Now,  the  greatest  part  of  such  as  hath  the  name  of 
Christianity,  say,  that  God's  laws  saveth  no  man,  instructeth 
no  man  aright ;  no,  it  is  not  wholesome  for  man,  except 
it  be  help  and  aided  by  the  law  of  the  bishops.  Thus 
the  world  oweth  to  the  bishops'  decrees,  that  have  called 
the  authority  of  the  holy  testament  that  containeth  all  truth, 
(whose  sufficiency  and  -verity  is  sealed  with  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,)  into  doubt ;  and  not  into  doubt  only,  but 


XIX.] 


IGNORANCE. 


427 


clean  abrogated  it,  and  preferred  their  own  laws.  Confer 
their  preachings  and  ministration  of  the  sacraments  with 
the  holy  word  and  law  of  God,  and  see. 

Other  say,  I  have  no  wit  to  understand  the  word  of 
God ;  and  if  I  had,  yet  have  I  no  leisure  to  learn  it. 
Against  this  objection  Moses  answereth  and  saith.  This 
law  is  sufficient,  is  simple,  and  plain,  easy  to  be  understood, 
a  perfect  doctrine,  and  required  of  all  men.  Thus  he 
proveth  it :  PrcBceptum  istud,  quod  ego  prcecipio  tihi  hodie,  non 
est  mirahiliter  supra  te  nec  procul  positwm,  Deut.  xxx. ;  that  Deut.  xxx. 
is  to  say,  "  The  commandment  that  I  prescribe  unto  thee 
to-day,  is  not  far  above  thee,  nor  put  far  from  thee,"  Read 
the  last  half  of  the  chapter.  By  the  which  words  it  appear- 
eth,  that  God  hath  made  his  will  and  pleasure  simple  and 
plainly  open  unto  his  people,  with  apt  sentences  and  open 
words ;  and  also  put  the  same  near  unto  us,  that  we  should 
not  seek  it  with  great  danger  of  our  life,  to  sail  into  the 
Indies  for  it,  or  look  it  in  heaven  above,  as  those  that  receive 
all  things  by  revelation  or  apparitions  of  angels,  or  other 
such  means.  But  Moses  saith,  it  is  no  need  of  any  such 
ambassadors  ;  and  so  saith  Abraham,  Luke  xvi.  For  man  Lukexvi.29. 
may  learn  out  of  the  scripture  what  is  to  be  done,  and 
what  not  to  be  done,  what  is  the  condition  of  the  good 
and  of  the  bad :  no  need  to  seek  the  knowledge  thereof 
in  Egypt,  Athens,  or  Rome.  Sed  mlde  propinquum  est 
tihi  mrbwm  in  ore  tm,  et  in  corde  tm,  ut  facias  illud; 
that  is  to  say,  "  The  word  is  present,  and  at  hand  with 
thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart,  that  thou  shouldest 
do  it." 

By  these  words  we  see,  that  in  the  greatest  sinner 
that  is,  is  a  certain  rule  and  knowledge  to  live  well  by,  if 
he  did  follow  it.  So  confounded  St  Paul  the  gentiles, 
Romans  i.,  of  sin,  because  they  knew  the  evil  they  didKom.i.  21. 
was  condemned  by  the  testimony  of  their  own  conscience. 
For  the  law  of  God  to  do  well  by,  is  written  naturally  in 
the  heart  of  every  man.  He  that  will  diligently  search 
himself  shall  soon  find  the  same  ;  and  in  case  man  would 
behold  his  own  image  both  in  body  and  in  soul,  though 
there  were  no  law  written,  nor  heavens  over  our  heads  to 
testify  the  goodness  and  justice  of  God,  and  the  equity  of 


428  A   DECLARATION    OF   THE   TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


an  honest  life,  man's  conscience  would  tell  him,  when  he 
Rom.  ii.  15.  doth  Well,  and  when  evil.    Romano,  capit.  ii. 

Farther,  the  judgment  and  discourse  of  reason  de- 
sireth  not  only  to  live  justly  in  this  world,  but  also  to 
live  for  ever  in  eternal  felicity  without  end;  and  that 
Cometh  by  the  similitude  of  God,  which  yet  remaineth  in 
the  soul  after  the  sin  of  Adam.  Whereby  we  see  plainly, 
that  those  excuses  of  ignorancy  be  damnable,  when  man 
seeth  he  could  do  well  if  he  followed  the  judgment  of  his 
own  mind,  and  could  not  live  an  evil  life ;  for  when  he 
doeth  evil,  he  knoweth  that  he  doeth  against  the  judgment 
of  his  own  conscience :  so  that  we  see  that  the  law  of 
Grod  is  either  outwardly  or  inwardly,  or  both,  opened  unto 
man  ;  and  by  God's  grace  might  do  the  good,  and  leave 
the  evil,  if  it  were  not  of  malice  and  accustomed  doing  of 
sin.  The  which  excuseth  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God, 
and  maketh  that  no  man  shall  be  excused  in  the  latter 
judgment,  how  subtilly  soever  they  now  excuse  the  matter, 
and  put  their  evil  doings  from  them,  and  lay  it  upon  the 
predestination  of  God,  and  would  excuse  it  by  ignorancy;  or 
say,  he  cannot  be  good,  because  he  is  otherwise  destined, 
[r.  i.  39,  40.]       This  stoical  opinion  reprehended  Horat : — Epist.  i. 

Nemo  adeo  ferus  est,  iit  non  mitescere  possit, 
Si  modo  culturfs  patientem  commodet  aurem  : 

that  is  to  say,  "  No  man  is  so  cruel,  but  may  wax  meek, 
so  that  he  give  a  willing  ear  to  discipline." 

Although  thou  canst  not  come  to  so  far  a  knowledge 
in  the  scripture  as  other  that  be  learned,  by  reason  thou 
art  unlearned,  or  else  thy  vocation  will  not  suffer  thee 
all  days  of  thy  life  to  be  a  student  ;  yet  mayest  thou 
know,  and  upon  pain  of  damnation  art  bound  to  know,  the 
articles  of  thy  faith;  to  know  God  in  Christ,  and  the 
holy  catholic  church  by  the  word  of  God  written ;  the 
ten  commandments,  to  know  what  works  thou  shouldest 
do,  and  what  to  leave  undone;  the  Paternoster,  Christ's 
prayer,  which  is  a  bridgment,  epitome,  or  compendious 
collection  of  all  the  psalms  and  prayers  written  in  the 
whole  scripture ;  in  the  which  thou  prayest  for  the  re- 
mission of  sin,  as  well  for  thyself  as  for  all  other,  desirest 


XIX.] 


IGNORANCE. 


429 


the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  preserve  thee  in  virtue 
and  all  other,  givest  thanks  for  the  goodness  of  God  to- 
wards thee  and  all  other. 

He  that  knovt^eth  less  than  this  cannot  be  saved  ;  and 
he  that  knovv^eth  no  more  than  this,  if  he  follovsr  his .  know- 
ledge, cannot  be  damned,  John  xvii.  There  be  two  common 
verses  that  all  men  in  manner  knoweth,  and  doubtless 
worthy,  that  telleth  us  to  know  Christ,  though  we  know 
no  more,  is  sufficient : 

Hoc  est  nescire,  sine  Christo  plurima  scire: 

Si  Christum  bene  scis,  satis  est  si  cetera  nescis : 

that  is  to  say,  "To  be  ignorant,  is  to  know  many  things 
without  Christ.  If  thou  Imow  Christ  well,  it  is  suffici- 
ent, though  thou  be  ignorant  of  all  other  things." 

Thus  I  have  said  in  the  ten  holy  precepts  of  Almighty 
God  according  unto  the  scripture.  Fare  ye  well  in  our 
only  and  sole  joy  and  consolation,  Christ  Jesu. 


[The  following  sentences  are  here  added  in  the  first 
edition,  printed  in  1548.] 

(And  where  as  thou  shalt  find  in  any  word  a  letter  too 
much  or  too  little,  or  perchance  one  for  another,  or  true 
orthography  not  observed,  the  sentences  not  well  at  all 
times,  and  aright  pointed,  or  for  lack  of  putting  on  of 
ink,  or  slack  drawing  of  the  press,  the  letters  not  plainly 
expressed, — remember,  I  pray  thee,  that  it  is  not  in  manner 
possible  to  print  in  a  known  tongue  a  whole  work  vdthout 
faults :  how  much  more  impossible,  where  as  the  setters  of 
the  print  understandeth  not  one  word  of  our  speech,  and 
wanteth  also  such  as  knoweth  the  art  of  true  correcting ! 
Where  as  such  faults  or  other  shall  happen,  thou  shalt  with- 
out all  difficulty  and  labour,  by  the  lesson  and  process  of 
the  matter,  straightway  understand  my  mind  and  meaning, 
and  as  need  requireth,  add  or  take  away  a  letter  from  a 
word,  or  change  the  whole  word,  if  one  be  put  for  another 
in  an  open  and  plain  sentence  ;  as  in  the  letter  H,  at  the 
number  xciv.  in  the  fifth  verse  thou  shall  find  penitence  for 


430 


A   DECLARATION   OF  THE    TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


pestilence.  Such  faults  charitably  bear  withal,  I  pray  thee ; 
for  although  it  be  not  as  well  done  as  I  would  wish,  and 
as  every  christian  reader  would  desire,  yet  is  it  as  well  as 
I  could  have  it  done :  take  it  therefore  well  at  worth,  and 
remember  the  saying  of  Horace,  Lib.  i.  Epi.  i.  [v.  32.] 
Est  quoddam  prodire  tenus,  si  non  datur  ultra. 

Farewell  in  our  only  and 
sole  joy  and  conso- 
lation Christ 
Jesu.) 

FINIS. 


^    Iraprynted    at   London  in 
Paules  churche   yarde  at 
the  sygne  of  the  Byble  by 
Rycharde  Jugge. 


AN 


OVERSIGHT  AND  DELIBERATION 

UPON  THE 


HOLY  PROPHET  JONAS. 


iin  ob^tsiBftte  anil  Jrt^ 

lif)tvacion  uppon  pvo- 
p\)tt  3om$  X  matre,  anJj  utttvttt  ibe-- 
fore  tf)z  Jiingts  mai'tstp,  anti  fits 
most  fionoraftlt  councElI, 
t'B  l^oper  tn 

knt  last  past. 

Comprel^entteJj  in  ^tmn 
Sermons. 

Anm   M  D  .L. 
«F)rtcpt     repent,  Si^al 

Lit.  t/h'. 


f[  gjmprtntEti  at  Hon&on  fcg 


ait  ouer^isfit 

anlr  Mitevation  n 

3onmt  matte  anti  utte 
relr  fiefore  tfee  fepps: 
mai'esti'e,  anti  ftfe  vmo^t 

Sfeon  loper  m  lent 
lasitpasitjCcimpre* 
i^entretr  m  sseben 
^ermong* 


lExcepte  repente,  ge 
sfiall  al  pergsfie. 

Ziuke  xiii. 

Cum  priuilegio  ad  impri 
mendum  solum. 


[hooper.] 


28 


[^These  sermons  on  Jonas  were  preached  on  the  Wednesdays  during 
Lent,  in  the  year  1550,  before  the  king  and  council ;  Ponet  preaching  on 
the  Fridays. 

Hooper,  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Bullinger,  preserved  in  the  Archives 
at  Zurich,  dated  June  29,  1550,  says,  that  at  Easter,  after  the  semons 
were  ended,  it  pleased  his  majesty  and  the  council  to  offer  the  bishoprick 
of  Rochester  to  Ponet,  and  that  of  Gloucester  to  himself. 

Three  editions  of  these  sermons  appear  to  have  been  printed  during 
the  year  in  which  they  were  preached ;  two  by  Day  and  Seres,  and  one 
by  Tisdale.  The  former  are  page  for  page  alike,  except  in  the  Epistle 
(dedicatory),  and  seem  to  be  almost  exact  reprints,  with  variations  only 
in  the  spelling.  Tisdale's  edition  also  very  closely  corresponds  with 
those  of  Day  and  Seres ;  the  variations  being  generally  very  trifling. 

These  three  editions  have  been  collated  for  the  present  work,  and 
the  differences  noticed  where  the  sense  appeared  to  be  affected  by 
them.  They  are  distinguished  in  the  editorial  notes  by  the  letter  T. 
for  Tisdale's  edition ;  D.  1.  for  that  of  Day,  in  which  a  page  of  cor- 
rections occurs  at  the  end  of  the  volume ;  and  D.  2.  for  the  other.]] 


THE  EPISTLE. 


To  the  most   puissant  prince  and   our  most  redoubted 
sovereign  lord,  Edward  the  Sixth,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
king  of  England,  France,  and  Ireland,  defender  of  the 
faith,  and  in  earth,  next  and  immediately  under  God,  of  the 
churches  of  England  and  Ireland  the  supreme  head :  and 
also  unto  the  most  wise,  godly,  and  most  honourable  lords  of 
his  highness'  privy  council ;  his  most  humble,  loving, 
and  obedient  subject,  John  Hooper,  elect  and 
sworn  bishop  of   Gloucester,  wisheth  all 
grace  and  peace  from  God,  with  long, 
and  the  same  most  godly  and 
prosperous,  reign  over  us, 
in  all  honour,  health, 
and  perpetual 
felicity. 

Among  all  other  most  noble  and  famous  deeds  of  kings 
and  princes,  none  is  more  godly,  commendable,  nor  profitable 
to  the  commonwealth,  than  to  promote  and  set  forth  unto 
their  subjects  the  pure  and  sincere  religion  of  the  eternal 
God,  King  of  all  kings,  and  Lord  of  all  lords.  Then  shall 
justice,  peace,  and  concord  reign,  the  door  of  idololatry  be 
shut  up,  by  the  which  hath  entered  all  evil,  and  kings  and 
kingdoms  fallen  into  jeopardy,  as  the  writings  of  the  prophets 
do  testify.  But  the  more  this  noble  fact  is  glorious,  godly 
and  princely,  the  more  difficile  and  hard  it  is ;  for  the 
enemy  of  God  and  of  all  mankind,  the  devil,  customably 
is  wont  to  deceive  the  princes  of  the  world ;  so  that  either 
they  utterly  neglect  the  religion  of  the  true  God,  as  a  thing 
foolish  and  of  no  estimation,  either  provoke  them  cruelly  to 
persecute  it.  If  he  can  bring  neither  the  one,  neither  the 
other  of  these  to  pass ;  he  will  do  the  best  he  can  to 
preserve  a  mixed  and  mingled  religion,  that  shall  neither 
plainly  be  against,  nor  wholly  with  him  ;  and  so  use  the 
matter  that  partly  God's  truth  shall  take  place,  partly 

28—2 


436 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


the  superstitious  invention  of  man.  The  which  mingled  and 
mixed  rehgion  is  so  much  the  more  dangerous,  as  it  is  ac- 
compted  for  pure  and  good :  therefore  it  is  earnestly  for- 
bidden by  God,  as  the  examples  of  the  scripture  declareth. 
Jehu,  the  king  of  the  Israelites,  when  he  had  removed  all 
gross  and  sensible  idololatry,  and  with  the  sword  had  taken 

2  Kings  X.  away  all  the  idololatrical  priests,  3  Reg.  x.,  is  reproved  of  God 
nevertheless,  because  he  walked  not  in  the  law  of  God  with 
all  his  heart,  and  left  not  the  ways  of  Jeroboam.  And 
against  these  minglers  and  patchers  of  religion  speaketh 

1  Kings  Elias  the  prophet,  3  Reg.  xviii.  "How  long,"  saith  he, 
"will  ye  halt  on  both  sides?  If  the  Lord  be  God,  follow 
him  ;  if  Baal,  go  ye  after  him."  Even  so  we  may  justly  say : 
If  the  priesthood  and  ministry  of  Christ  with  his  notes 
and  marks  be  true,  holy,  and  absolutely  perfect,  receive  it ; 
in  case  it  be  not,  follow  the  pope.  Christ  cannot  abide  to 
have  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  mingled  with  his  sweet  flour. 
He  would  have  us  either  hot  or  cold ;  the  lukewarm  he 
vomiteth  up,  and  not  without  a  cause. 

For  he  accuseth  God  of  ignorance  and  foolishness,  that 
intendeth  to  adorn  and  beautify  his  doctrine  and  decrees  with 
human  cogitations.  What  king  or  prince  of  the  world  would 
suffer  his  statutes,  laws,  and  testament  to  be  cut  off  and  set 
on,  at  every  man's  liberty  and  pleasure  ?  Should  not  the 
same  glory,  majesty,  and  honour  be  given  unto  the  laws  and 
testament  of  Christ,  that  is  sealed  with  his  precious  blood? 
The  word  of  God,  wherewith  he  governeth  and  ruleth  his 

Psai.  ii.  church,  is  a  sceptre  of  iron,  Psal.  ii.,  and  not  a  rod  of  willow, 
to  be  bowed  with  every  man's  finger,  either  a  reed  to  be 
broken  at  man's  will ;  no,  neither  a  piece  of  leather  to  be 
stretched  and  reached  out  with  any  man's  teeth. 

These  things  be  spoken  of  me,  most  gracious  and  vir- 
tuous king,  to  commend  your  majesty's  and  your  most 
honourable  council's  doings,  that  seek  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  restitution  of  his  holy  and  apostolical  church.  The 
which  thing  as  your  highness,  and  your  most  honourable 
and  wise  council,  have  graciously  begun,  God's  mercy  in 
the  bowels  of  Christ  Jesu  grant  you  most  graciously  to 
perform !  The  people  of  England  were  oppressed  with  the 
violent  and  cruel  tyranny  of  antichrist ;  darkness  and  igno- 
rancy  occupied  the  minds  almost  of  all  men,  so  that  few 


THE  EPISTLE. 


437 


knew  the  true  way  to  eternal  salvation.  And  yet  many 
princes  and  wise  men.  delight  and  tarry  in  this  darkness, 
and  cannot  or  will  not  bear  nor  suffer  the  radiant  and 
shining  beams  of  the  gospel,  more  than  the  night-crow  can 
the  beams  of  the  sun ;  but  the  merciful  Father  of  heaven 
shall  better  their  sight,  when  his  good  and  merciful  pleasure 
is.  But,  the  Lord  be  praised !  your  majesty,  your  most 
honourable  and  wise  council,  have  not  cared  what  the  great- 
est part,  but  what  the  better  doth,  that  the  law  of  the  high 
and  mighty  God  may  be  known  to  your  highness's  people ; 
as  did  David,  Josaphat,  Ezechias,  and  Josias.  And  in  your 
majesty's  so  doing,  ye  bind  not  only  the  true  and  living 
members  of  Christ  to  give  God  thanks  in  this  behalf,  but 
also  declare  yourself  to  be  the  very  fautor',  nurse,  and  helper 
of  the  word  of  God,  according  to  the  saying  of  Esaye,  xlix.  isai.  xnx. 
Persevere,  gracious  king,  in  this  quarrel  and  dangerous 
enterprise.  Your  highness  shall  not  need  to  fear  either 
the  strength  or  cautelles^  of  your  enemies ;  for  there  is  no 
wit,  wisdom,  nor  counsel  against  the  Lord,  as  Salomon 
saith,  Prov.  xxi.  No,  although  they  had  silver  as  the  Prov.  xxi. 
gravel  of  the  sea,  and  gold  as  common  as  the  clay  of  the 
streets,  Zach.  ix.  For  albeit  the  horse  is  prepared  for  the  zecii.  ix. 
day  of  battle,  yet  the  victory  cometh  from  the  Lord, 
Prov.  xxi.  "  I  am  he,"  saith  the  Lord,  "that  do  comfort  p^ov.  xxi. 
you :  what  art  thou  that  fearest  mortal  man,  either  the 
son  of  man,  that  shall  be  made  as  hay?  canst  thou  forget 
the  Lord  thy  Maker,  that  stretcheth  forth  the  heavens  and 
layeth  the  foundation  of  the  earth  V  Esa.  li.  Let  these  isai.  li. 
diabolical  sounds  and  speakings  of  evil  men  nothing  trouble 
your  highness,  nor  your  wise  and  godly  councillors,  "As  long 
as  the  king  is  in  his  tender  age,  his  council  should  do 
nothing  in  matters  of  religion."  For  those  men's  foolish- 
ness, rather  I  should  say  malice,  is  condemned  by  the  word 
of  God,  that  teacheth  how  a  king  in  his  young  age,  with  his 
wise  and  godly  council,  should  abolish  i^ololatry,  and  set  forth 
the  true  and  godly  religion  of  the  living  God.  Thus  de- 
clareth  the  notable  and  godly  fact  of  Josias,  that  followed 
the  religion  of  his  father,  not  Ammon  the  idolater,  but  of 
David,  nor  declining  to  the  right  hand,  neither  to  the  left 
hand ;  and  destroyed  not  only  the  images  of  his  father,  but 
\j  Fautor :  favourer.]  ['  Cautelles :  precautions,  plots.] 


488 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


2  Kings X-xii.  also  of  Jeroboam  and  of  Salomon.  4  Reg.  xxii.  xxui.  1ms 
fruit  of  Josias  holp  his  godly  councillors  and  virtuous 
priests.  Even  so  Joas,  being  but  a  child,  was  holp  by  his 
councillors  in  the  like  proceedings  and  reformation  of  re- 
ligion. In  case  the  princes,  bishops,  and  priests,  had  not 
known  it  to  be  the  commandment  of  God  to  have  obeyed 
these  two  young  and  godly  kings,  they  would  not  have 
consented  unto  their-  proceedings. 

But  we  see  how  glad  they  were  to  do  it.  The  princes 
and  councillors  moved  no  sedition ;  the  bishop  and  the 
priests  sought  not  for  the  defence  of  their  proper  doctrine, 
either  to  mingle  theirs  with  God's,  but  were  content  with 
the  sole  and  only  law  of  God.  Ye  noble  princes  and 
councillors,  praise  be  unto  the  living  God  for  your  great 
wisdom  and  godly  assistance  in  this  behalf !  And  the  Lord 
be  magnified  in  all  the  godly  and  learned  bishops  and 
others  of  this  realm,  that  have  and  do  put  to  their  helps 
and  studies  to  bring  the  church  of  Christ  to  her  old 
and  reverend  perfection  again ;  and  all  other  that  hinder 
your  majesty's  godly  purpose,  openly  or  secretly,  God  will 
doubtless  revenge  at  length. 

The  godly  and  virtuous  .beginnings,  most  noble  prince,  of 
your  father  the  king's  majesty,  Henry  the  eighth  of  a  blessed 
memory,  shall  by  your  highness  godly  be  ended  in  Him  that 
can  and  will  do  all  things  for  Christ  his  dear  Son's  sake. 
And  a  thousand  times  the  rather  shall  your  majesty  restore 
again  the  true  ministry  of  the  church,  in  case  ye  remove 
and  take  away  all  the  monuments,  tokens,  and  leavings  of 
papistry  :  for  as  long  as  any  of  them  remain,  there  re- 
maineth  also  occasion  of  relapse  unto  the  abolished  super- 
stition of  antichrist.  Seeing  I  see  in  the  writings  of  the 
prophets  God  to  require  the  observation  of  his  law  only, 
concerning  religion ;  and  threateneth  all  princes,  priests  and 
prophets,  with  his  displeasure,  tliat  neglect  or  contaminate 
it  with  their  own  cogitations  ;  I  can  do  no  less,  howsoever 
the  world  shall  take  my  doings,  but  exhort  and  pray  the 
magistrates  to  bring  the  church  to  her  first  perfection : 
for  if  I  should  study  to  please  man  herein,  I  were  not  the 
servant  of  God.  And  I  am  afraid  lest  the  disease  that 
infected  the  Pharisees,  infecteth  also  many  now-a-days,  that 
[1  Their,  T.  and  J).  2,  his,  D.  1.] 


THE  EPISTLE. 


439 


minister  in  the  church,  unto  whom  Christ  spake,  John  v., 

"  How  can  ye  beheve,  that  seek  glory  one  of  another,  and  John  v. 

the  glory  of  God  ye  contemn  V    God  give  grace,  I  may 

not  say.  Him  illce  lacrymce' !    Help  ye  therefore,  O  ye 

bishops  and  priests,   the  king's  majesty's  and  his  noble 

counciFs  proceedings,  that  all  things  may  be  brought  to  a 

perfect  and  apostolical  reformation.     It  is  not  enough  to 

lay  the  foundation  of  the  temple,  but  there  must  be  builded 

upon  it  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stone.    But  in  any  case 

we  must  take  heed  we  lay  no  straw  nor  stubble  upon  the 

foundation  ;  if  we  do,  it  will  be  burned.  1  Cor.  iii.  If  we  do  i  Cor.  iii. 

not  build  up  upon  the  foundation,  then  shall  we  be  shent^ 

as  the  Israelites  were,  Aggeus  i.  Hag.i. 

Let  no  man  excuse  himself  upon  the  king's  majesty's 
age ;  for  the  age  cannot  excuse  the  king's  majesty  itself. 
If  his  religion  in  his  youth  be  according  to  God's  word, 
he  hath  the  favour  and  promises  of  God  to  bless,  preserve, 
and  keep  his  majesty  and  his  realm,  though  the  devil  and 
his  members  would  say  nay.  If  in  youth  his  majesty  take 
a  wrong  religion,  he  shall  be  assured  of  God's  displeasure, 
as  it  is  to  be  seen  4  Regum  xxi.  Manasses,  being  of  2  Kings  xxi. 
twelve  years  old,  was  crowned  king,  and  in  his  youth  re- 
voked the  idololatry  that  his  father  Ezechias  had  abolished, 
and  in  his  so  doing  displeased  heinously  the  majesty  of 
God,  and  at  length  was  sore  afflicted  and  punished  for  his 
so  doing.  Behold  the  displeasure  of  God  in  a  young  king 
for  a  false  religion.  Jeoachim,  crowned  the  eighth  year  of 
his  age,  for  the  evil  he  did  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  he  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  king  of  Babylon,  2  Par.  xxxvi.,  with  2  chron. 
all  the  goodly  vessels  of  the  Lord.  This  king  reigned 
but  three  months  and  ten  days,  before  the  Lord  revenged 
the  false  doctrine  he  maintained. 

These  examples,  I  doubt  not,  most  godly  king  and  vir- 
tuous councillors,  moveth  you  to  be  careful  of  the  true 
religion.  The  Lord  hath  strength  and  power  enough  :  seek 
ye  him,  and  give  no  place  to  the  infirm  persuasions  of  the 
flesh ;  for  the  Lord  shall  be  with  you. 

Such  as  think  peace  and  quietness  shall  come  to  the 
realm  a  better  way  than  to  have  the  true  religion  of  God  re- 
stored, they  shall  know  the  contrary  in  the  prophet,  Jer. 

Hence  these  sorrows.]  Shent  :  blamed,  disgraced.] 


440 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


Jer.vi.  chapter  vi.,  the  which  chapter  if  the  king's  majesty  bear 
in  mind  and  follow,  it  is  worth  a  king's  revenue :  if  a  lord, 
the  value  of  his  land :  if  the  bishop,  the  estimation  of  his 
bishoprick  :  if  the  merchant,  the  gains  of  his  labour  :  if  the 
husbandman  \  his  oxen  and  plough.    And  the  same  com- 

Levit.xxv.  manded  God,  Levit.  xxv.  "Observe  my  statutes  and 
my  judgments,  then  shall  ye  dwell  safely  in  the  earth :  and 
the  earth  shall  bring  forth  her  fruit ;  ye  shall  eat  and  be 
satisfied,  and  dwell  in  the  earth  without  fear."  It  is  a 
fond  opinion,  most  gracious  king,  and  unmeet  for  a  christian 
man  to  bear  the  magistrates  of  God  in  hand,  that  in  case 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his  holy  sacraments  should  not 
be  decked  and  set  forth  with  these  plausible  and  well  liking 
ceremonies,  (that  is,  to  speak  plainly,  with  papistical  super- 
stition,) it  were  to  be  feared  of  sedition  and  tumults.  Doubt- 
less, if  the  pope's  members  would  not  deceive  the  people, 
but  teach  them  God's  word,  the  people  would  soon  see  the 
truth,  and  willingly  leave  as  much  as  God  and  their  king 
should  command  them,  as  the  gests  and  facts  of  Josias  and 
Joas  declareth. 

Most  gracious  king  and  noble  councillors,  as  ye  have 
taken  away  the  mass  from  the  people,  so  take  from  them 
her  feathers^  also,  the  altar,  vestments,  and  such  like  as 
apparelled  her;  and  let  the  holy  communion  be  decked 
with  the  holy  ceremonies  that  the  high  and  wise  priest, 
Christ,  decked  and  apparelled  her  in^  first  of  all.  And  from 
whence,  mighty  prince  and  sovereign  lord,  springeth  war 
and  sedition?  Come  they  not  from  the  only  God  being 
angry  for  the  neglecting  of  his  law  ?     So  we  be  taught 

jer'  ix  ^" '         Jeremy  ix.  saith,  "  Who  is  wise  and  under- 

standeth  this,  and  he  unto  whom  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  and  declareth,  wherefore  the  earth  perisheth, 
and  is  like  unto  the  burned  wilderness,  that  no  man  may 
pass  by  it  ?  And  the  Lord  said.  Because  they  have  for- 
saken ray  law  which  I  put  unto  them,  and  heard  not  my 
ways,  and  walketh  not  therein ;  but  followed  the  desire  of 
their  own''  hearts,  and  after  Baalim,  as  they  were  taught 
by  their  fathers."     And  because  we  mingle  men's  inven- 

['  Husband,  old  editions.] 

[2  Feathers :  fathers,  T.  and  D.  2,  fethers,  D.  1.] 

P  In,  omitted  in  D.  1.]  Own,  omitted  in  T.  and  D.  2.] 


THE  EPISTLE. 


441 


tions  with  his  law  ;  for  he  saith,  "  Men  worship  him  in  vain  Matt.  xv. 
with  the  precepts  of  men."  Matt.  xv.  And  in  the  ninth '''' 
of  Jeremy  the  Lord  declareth  other  manner  of  causes  of 
war  and  sedition,  the  forsaking  of  his  law,  not  to  hearken 
unto  his  voice,  nor  to  walk  in  his  ways,  to  go  after  the 
pravity  and  evilness  of  our  own  hearts ;  the  vitiating  and 
abuse''  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  1  Cor.  xi. ;  also  the  neglect-  i  cor.  xi. 
ing  of  widows  and  orphelens'  causes,  not  to  judge  right 
judgment  to  the  poor,  J erem.  v.  These  causes  must  be  jer.  v. 
avoided,  or  else  truly  the  saying  of  Jeremy  will  take  place, 
chapter  vii. :  "  You  trust  in  yourselves  and  in  lies  that 
nothing  profiteth."  The  next  way  to  return  the  hand  of 
God's  anger  and  great  displeasure  against  us,  is  to  follow 
Josaphat,  the  king,  that  appointed  good  judges  and  godly 
priests  in  every  city ;  the  judges  to  judge  after  the  true 
laws  of  the  realm,  and  the  priests  to  do  all  things  in  the 
church  according  to  the  word  of  God,  which  teacheth  such 
knowledge  and  fear  of  God,  and  of  the  magistrates,  that 
all  the  wisdom,  laws,  and  books  that  ever  were  made,  be 
but  counterfeit  and  fooUsh  in  respect  of  it.  Nor  ever  had 
God  in  heaven,  or  king  upon  the  earth,  such  a  friend  as 
is  the  holy  Bible ;  for  it  teacheth  the  people  and  subjects 
of  the  realm  the  fear  of  God,  obedience  to  the  king's  majesty 
and  his  magistrates,  and  all  mutual  and  fraternal  love.  This 
example  and  counsel  of  Josaphat,  if  it  be  neglected,  there 
can  no  godliness  be  among  the  people,  as  the  text  saith, 
"  When  prophesy  wanteth,  the  people  shall  be  dissipated  Prov.  xxix. 
and  scattered  abroad."    Proverbs  xxix. 

To  the  doings  of  these  godly  offices  should  all  men  be 
exhorted,  specially  such  as  bear  the  name  of  bishops  and 
priests.  If  they  will  not  be  desirous  and  glad  to  have 
and  help  the  ministry  of  the  church  to  the  primitive  and 
perfect  state  again,  the  Lord  doth  cry  vengeance  towards 
them,  and  will  not  only  require  the  loss  of  themselves, 
but  also  of  all  the  people  at  their  hands.  Ezech.  iii.  xxxiii.  Ezek.  iii. 
Let  them  remember  the  complaint  of  God  himself,  Jerem.  1. 
"  My  people  hath  been  a  lost  flock,  my  shepherds  have  Jer.  i. 
deceived  them,  and  have  made  them  go  astray  upon  the 
hills."    If  these  threatenings  will  not  amend  them,  gracious 


Abuse,  T,  and  D.  2,  just  use,  D.  1.] 


442 


SEKMONS   rPOX  JONAS. 


king,  and  you,  my  honourable  lords  of  his  high  council, 
must  do  with  them  as  the  mariners  did  with  Jonas.  What 
that  is,  seeing  it  pleased  the  king's  majesty  and  you,  my 
lords  of  his  most  honourable  council,  in  the  Lent,  to  hear 
by  me,  I  have  now,  at  the  request  of  many  godly  persons, 
caused  it  to  come  abroad ;  and  dedicated  the  same  to  your 
princely  majesty  and  most  prudent  council,  that  your  high- 
ness may  be  both  judge  and  record  of  my  doctrine  unto 
your  majesty's  true  and  loving  subjects.  The  which  doc- 
trine is  catholic  and  godly  in  all  things,  nothing  dissenting, 
but  agreeable  with  the  prophets  and  the  apostles ;  as  I 
am,  according  to  my  bounden  duty,  ready  at  all  times  to 
make  answer,  if  anything  shall  be  attempted  to  the  con- 
trary. In  case  there  be  now  and  then  added  a  word 
more  or  less,  or,  peradventure,  some  sentence,  yet  I  know 
well  the  matter  is  not  changed  nor  altered,  otherwise  than 
I  spake  it  before  your  majesty :  for  I  have  memorials 
wherein  I  wrote  before  the  invention,  order,  and  disposition 
of  all  the  matters  I  would  entreat  upon ;  as  I  use,  and  ever 
will  do,  of  all  things  I  speak  in  God's  behalf  to  the  peo- 
ple, write  myself,  or  cause  another  to  write,  the  pith  and 
disposition  of  all  things  I  speak  upon,  that  I  may  as  well 
learn  a  farther  knowledge  myself  thereby,  as  make  answer 
to  mine  enemies,  if  any  should  accuse  me  of  false  doc- 
trine. The  God  of  all  strength  and  consolation  govern 
your  majesty  and  your  most  honourable  council  with  his 
holy  Spirit,  and  give  you  the  victory  of  all  your  enemies ! 
Amen. 

Anno  MDL.,    Septembris  vi.     Since  the  angel  of  God 
slew,  in  the  army  of  Sennacherib,  God's  enemy,  a 
hundred  fourscore  and  five  thousand  men, 
Anno  MMCCLxxxviii.^ 

[}  The  Reformers  sometimes  dated  their  letters  and  other  publications 
from  remarkable  events  and  particular  eras.] 


THE 

FIRST  SERMON, 

MADE  THE  19th  DAY  OF  FEBRUARY,*  IN  THE  YEAR  OF  OUR  LORD, 
A.  M.CCCCC.L.,  BEFORE  THE  KING'S  MAJESTY  AND  HIS  MOST 
HONOURABLE  COUNCIL,  BY  JOHN  HOPER,  PREACHER, 
UPON  THE  HOLY  PROPHET  JONAS. 


A  PREFACE  UNTO  THE  PROPHET. 

It  is  the  office  and  duty  of  every  good  child,  that  stu- 
diously laboureth  to  obey  and  follow  his  father's  command- 
ment, before  all  things  to  know  perfectly  the  nature  and 
condition  of  his  father's  will.  Whereof^  if  he  be  ignorant, 
many  times  in  the  same  things  he  judgeth  best  of,  he 
most  offendeth ;  and  the  things  most  pleasant  and  accept- 
able, as  things  most  displeasant  and  unacceptable  unto 
his  father,  he  flieth  and  refuseth.  Even  so  we,  that  be 
subjects  and  the  children  of  God  the  Father  Almighty, 
can  do  nothing  gratefully  and  acceptable  unto  his  Majesty, 
except  we  first  know  his  good-will  and  pleasure  towards 
us  :  or  else  we  shall  there  most  offend  him,  where  as  we 
mind  most  to  please  him ;  and  again,  haply*  to  improve, 
as  pernicious  and  heretical,  that  his  wisdom  approveth  to 
be  most  godly  and  profitable.  Wherefore,  as  the  first 
point  of  a  loving  child  is  to  know  what  pleaseth  and  what 
displeaseth,  what  contenteth  and  what  discontenteth  his 
father,  lest  he  should  by  ignorance  displease  where  as  his 
son-like  affection,  by  natural  zeal,  would  please  ;  so  is  it 
the  second  point  of  a  good  child,  his  father's  will  once 
truly  known,  diligently  to  observe  and  keep  the  same, 
lest  he  should,  by  negligence  or  contempt,  be  seen  wilfully 
to  contemn  the  thing  he  hath,  with  diligence  and  study, 
obediently  submitted  himself  unto.  And  in  case  (as  such 
cases  be  most  common  and  daily)  that  infirmities,  or  other 
occasion,  lead  the  son  from  the  obedience  of  his  father, 
the  third  point  of  his  duty  is,  speedily  to  acknowledge  his 

P  Febi-uary,  T.  and  D.  2,  ]\Iarch,  D.  1.] 

Whereof,  D.  1,  wherefore,  T.  and  D.  2.] 
C  Haplye,  T.  and  D.  2,  happyly,  D.  1.] 


444)  KEUMONS   UPON   JONAS.  [sERM, 


offence,  and  desire  pardon  and  mercy  for  his  transgression ; 
Luke  XV.     as  the  prodigal  and  disobedient  son  did,  Luke  xv. ;  and 
2  Sam.  xii.   David,  2  Samuel  [xii.]  ;    and  so,  after  the  remission  and 
pardon  obtained,  to  be  more  circumspect  and  wise  how 
Psai.ii.      he  fall  and  transgress  again.    Psal.  li. 

These  propositions  and  sentences  be  so  true  that  no 
reasonable  man  doubteth  of  them.  But  as  the  devil  hath 
left  in  the  world  no  truth  nor  verity,  which  by  argument 
and  question  he  hath  not  called  into  doubt ;  so  troubleth 
he  in  this  case  the  minds  of  men  with  two  questions.  The 
first  is,  How  and  from  whence  the  will  of  God  may  be 
known  ?  The  second,  What  the  will  of  God  is  I  So  hath 
he  prevailed  among  men  for  sin,  that  the  truth  of  these 
questions  is  unknown  to  the  greatest  part  of  the  world, 
as  it  was  in  Moses'  time,  Christ's  time,  and  now  in  our 
time,  more  ignoi'ant  and  far  from  God  than  they.  He 
persuaded  in  those  days  that  the  will  of  God  was  not 
known' ;  not  from  heaven,  nor  out  of  the  scripture  ca- 
nonical, as  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  the  apostles  taught ; 
but  that  it  was  known  by  the  writings,  decrees,  and  sta- 
tutes of  men,  that  were  in  the  earth,  and  that  the  will 
of  God  was  to  do  that  man  commanded,  and  not  that 
God  commanded. 

But  as  Almighty  God  left  not  his  church  then  with- 
out some  that  should  keep  the  truth  of  both  these  questions 
among  the  people,  to  preserve  them  from  the  danger  that 
must  needs  follow  where  as  truth  is  not  known  ;  so  hath 
he  done  now  at  this  present  time :  and  by  the  same  au- 
thority as  the  devil,  author  and  father  of  all  questions  and 
lies,  was  confounded  then,  so  is  he  now.     Moses,  instructing 
the  people  in  the  truth  of  the  first  question,  whence  the 
will  of  God  should  be  known,  commandeth  them  neither 
to  look  [for]  it  in  Mgypt  nor  elsewhere,  but  in  the  word 
Vvut.  XXX.   of  God,  Deut.  xxx. ;  and  Saint  Paul  doth  the  same,  Roma, 
i.      X.  and  St  John  i.  saith,  "  No  man  hath  seen  the  Father, 
but  the  Son,  and   he  unto  whom  the  Son  hath  opened 
the  Father"  unto.   God,  therefore,  and  his  blessed  will,  is 
known  unto  us,  because  he  hath  spoken  unto  us  by  his 
Heb.  i.      dear  beloved  Son,  Heb.  i.,  as  he  spake  beforetime  unto 
the  world  by  his  prophets.     From  Christ,  therefore,  and 
[}  Was  known,  D.  1,  was  not  known,  T.  and  J).  2.] 


SERMONS  UPON  JONAS. 


445 


his  word  cometh  the  knowledge  of  God''s  will ;   for  the 
Father  bid  us  hear  him.     Matt.  iii.  xvii.  John  x.  Matt.  iii. 

Now,  what  his  will  is,  the  truth  also  appeareth  out  of  the  joim  x. 
book  of  God,  and  out  of  none  other  man's  writings.   Mark  i.  Marki. 
His  will  to  the  world  is  this,  "  Do  penance,  and  believe  the 
gospel;"  that  is  to  say,  let  every  man  bewail  and  repent 
him  of  his  sins,  and  desire  the  remission  and  pardon  thereof 
for  Christ's  sake,  for  whom,  the  gospel  sheweth,  our  sins  shall 
be  forgiven.    John  i.  iii.  iv.  v.  vi.  Matt.  xi.  Rom.  v.  Eph.  i.  johni.  iii. 
This  doctrine,  from  the  fall  of  man,  hath  been  always  Man.  xi'. 
taught  in  the  catholic  church  of  Christ  unto  all  nations,  £p™  iy* 
as  the  writings  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  doth  testify  : 
in  whom  is  fully  and  abundantly  contained  all  truth  and 
verity,  and  left  here  for  our  doctrine    and  consolation. 
Rom.  XV.    Among  the  which  is  also  contained,  as  a  most  Rom.  xv. 
faithful  witness  of  all  truth  and  verity,  this  holy  prophet 
Jonas ;   who  was  sent  by  God  to  the  city  of  Ninive,  to 
preach  unto  them  God's  pleasure  and  amendment  of  life, 
or  else  within  forty  days  both  they  and  the  city  should 
be  destroyed. 

This  prophet  have  I  taken  to  interpretate  for  two 
causes.  The  one,  to  declare  unto  the  king's  majesty  and 
his  most  honourable  council,  that  the  doctrine  we  preach 
unto  his  majesty's  subjects  is  one  and  the  same  with  the 
prophets'  and  apostles',  and  as  old  as  the  doctrine  of  them 
both,  and  not  as  new  as  these  papists,  and  new  learned 
men  of  papistry,  would  bear  the  people  in  hand.  The 
second  cause  is,  to  declare  which  way  the  sinful  world 
may  be  reconciled  unto  God.  And  for  the  better  under- 
standing of  the  prophet,  I  will  divide  him  into  four  parts. 
The  first  containeth,  into  what  danger  Jonas  fell  by  dis- 
obeying of  God's  commandment.  The  second  part  con- 
taineth, how  Jonas  used  himself  in  the  fish's  belly.  The 
third  part  containeth  the  amendment  and  conversion  of 
the  Ninivites  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas.  The  fourth  part 
containeth  an  objurgation  and  rebuke  of  God,  because  Jonas 
lamented  the  salvation  of  the  people  and  city. 

THE  FIRST  PART. 
The  first  part  is  divided  into  three  members :  the  one 
containeth  the  embassage  and  legacy  of  Jonas  unto  Ninive : 


446  SERMONS    UPON   JONAS.  [sERM. 

the  other  containeth  Jonas'  disobedience :  the  third  con- 
taineth  the  pain  and  punishment  of  Jonas'  disobedience. 
The  embassage  is  described  with  these  words: — 

The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  Jonas,  the  son 
of  Amithai,  saying;  Arise,  and  get  thee  to 
Ninive,  that  great  city,  and  cry  out  against  it; 
for  their  wickedness  is  come  up  before  me. 

It  is  not  the  least  help  that  the  reader  or  teacher  of 
any  prophet  or  other  part  of  the  scripture  shall  have,  to 
know  of  what  place,  under  what  king,  in  what  state  of 
commonwealth,  the  prophet  lived  that  he  purposeth  to  inter- 
pretate  :  all  these  things,  as  touching  our  J onas,  is  declared 
Kings  xiv.  in  the  iv.  book  of  the  Kings,  the  xiv.  chapter.  He  lived  in 
Samaria,  under  an  idololatrical  king,  Jeroboam,  the  son  of 
Joas,  a  detestable  idolater ;  and  in  Juda  at  that  time  reigned 
king  Amasias :  and  this  Jonas  laboured  in  the  ministry  of 
God's  word  at  one  time  with  Amos,  Oseas,  and  Joel,  the 
true  prophets  of  God.  The  state  and  condition  of  the 
commonwealth  was  troublous  and  very  unquiet ;  for  because 
the  Israelites,  by  their  idololatry  in  following  the  learning 
invented  by  man,  and  leaving  the  word  of  God,  God 
punished  them  with  many  great  and  cruel  wars;  yet  after 
his  accustomed  pity  and  compassion  upon  those  that  he 
punisheth,  to  remove  the  occasion  that  worketh  God's 
ire  and  displeasure,  he  sent  them  divers  times  his  holy 
prophets,  that  should  call  them  from  their  idolatry  and 
corrupt  living,  as  Elias,  Elizeus,  and  this  our  prophet 
Jonas  ;  but  all  in  vain.  They  would  be  naughty  idolaters 
and  vicious  livers  continually,  maugre  God's  head,  and 
would  (as  we  now-a-days  for  the  most  part  do)  rather  give 
faith  unto  the  prophets  of  men  and  liars,  than  unto  the 
prophets  of  God,  that  be  true  men.  But  their  reward 
was,  as  ours  shall  be  except  we  amend,  utter  destruction 
and  loss,  both  of  themselves  and  their  commonwealth. 

The  commonwealth  and  state  of  Israel  and  Juda  thus 
troublously  being  afflicted,  the  commandment  of  God  came 
unto  this  our  Jonas,  that  he  should  go  to  the  great  city 
of  Ninive,  as  the  text  saith.    In  the  which  words  note  first, 


SEKilONS    UrOX  JONAS. 


447 


that  no  man  can  or  may  teach  truly  the  word  of  God,  but 
he  be  called  ordinarily,  or  extraordinarily  :  ordinarily,  where 
as  is  no  corruption  of  the  ministry  in  the  church,  neither 
in  doctrine,  neither  in  the  right  ministration  of  the  sacra- 
ments, which  be  as  seals  and  conclusions  of  God's  holy 
words.  Where  as  this  integrity,  I  say,  remaineth  in  the 
church,  no  man  ought,  without  the  appointment  of  the 
higher  powers,  to  intrude  or  appoint  himself  to  preach  or 
minister;  as  it  was  in  Moses'  time  and  the  apostles' 
Extraordinarily  is,  when  immediately  any  man  is  called  by 
God,  where  as  the  ministry  of  the  church  is  corrupted,  as  it 
was  in  the  time  of  the  prophets  and  of  Christ,  that  called 
to  minister  such  as  the  common  face  and  greatest  multitude 
of  the  world  would  not  admit,  no,  not  the  high  bishop, 
and  those  that  then  were  called  the  holy  church ;  as  is  to  be 
seen  by  Amos,  Jonas,  Hieremy,  Moses,  and  Paul,  with 
other.  They  are  to  be  rebuked,  therefore,  that  intrudeth  and 
put  themselves  without  lawful  calling  into  the  ministry  of 
the  church,  either  with  money  or  prayer,  and  buy  themselves 
into  the  church  ;  which  thing  through  all  papistry  is  a 
common  practice,  and  daily  used  thing.  For  in  case  they 
sought  not  of  their  bishoprick  more  riches  and  honour,  than 
the  necessary  travails  and  labours  that  be  annexed  unto 
the  vocation,  they  would  not  strive  so  sore  who  might  leap 
up  first  to  the  bishop's  and  parson's  vocation.  There  would 
not  so  many  princes  contend  and  labour  for  the  seat  of 
Rome,  the  nest  of  abomination,  if  there  were  not  in  it 
rather  the  patrimony  of  Judas  and  Simon  Magus,  than 
the  labour  of  Christ  and  Peter;  more  ease  than  pain,  more 
riches  than  burden. 

The  text  saith,  that  this  prophet,  being  called  by 
God,  was  sent  to  Ninive.  Of  this  city's  original  read 
the  tenth  of  Genesis.  It  was  the  chief  city  of  the  As- 
syrians, unto  the  which  Jonas  was  sent ;  and  the  con- 
sideration thereof,  that  in  case  the  head  city  be  well 
instructed  of  a  realm,  there  is  the  better  hope  of  all  the 
rest.  Therefore  God  hath  used,  from  the  beginning  of 
commonwealths,  to  be  merciful  unto  the  greatest  cities 
thereof,  and  hath  sent  the  most  preachers  of  the  truth ;  as 
it  is  to  be  seen  in  these  days  what  God  hath  shewed  upon 
London.     And  as  he  offereth  them  first  the  tokens  of 


448  SERMONS   UPON  JONAS.  [sERM» 

his  mercy,  so  first  he  revengeth  their  unkindness  with 
his  punishment,  if  they  neglect  and  contemn  the  grace 
offered. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  this  city  of  Ninive  was  idololatrical 
and  gentiUsh ;  never  under  the  disciphne  and  doctrine  of 
Moses.  Yet  unto  it  sendeth  the  Lord  his  prophet,  to  de- 
clare unto  the  Jews  that  the  ceremonies  and  works  of  the 
law,  whereof  they  most  gloried  and  extolled  themselves, 
were  not  necessary  to  salvation ;  but  given  for  a  time,  to 
exercise  their  obedience  in  the  commandment  of  God,  and 
to  trust  in  Christ,  of  whom  their  rites  and  sacrifices  were 
figures  and  shadows  of:  further,  the  Lord  declareth  by  this 
embassage  unto  JNinive,  that  the  ignorant  and  superstitious 
gentiles  be  more  ready  to  receive  the  living  word  of  God 
than  the  hard-hearted  Jews  ;  as  it  is  to  be  seen  at  this 
present  day.  More  easy  it  is  to  convert  unto  God  ten 
simple  and  ignorant  souls,  than  one  that  hath  been  brought 
up,  and  is  wedded  to  the  ungodly  doctrine  and  traditions 
of  men.  Moreover,  the  Lord,  in  seeking  the  wealth  of 
these  Assyrians,  declareth  that  he  is  not  only  the  God  of 

Rom.  iii.  the  Jews,  but  also  of  the  gentiles.  Rom.  iii.  Acts  x.  The 
text  declareth,  to  what  end  Jonas  was  sent  to  the  city. 
What  to  do  1  to  bring  in  the  ceremonies  of  Moses'  law  2 
Nay,  but  to  cry  out  against  it.  That  is  to  say,  plainly 
and  openly  to  shew  God's  pleasure  unto  them:  and 
not  against  one  or  two  of  the  city,  but  generally  against 
the  whole  city,  without  respect  of  persons ;  against  the 
king,  the  princes,  the  lawyers,  the  priests,  and  the  common 
people.    And  this  was  the  duty  and  ofiice  of  all  the  prophets. 

isai.  iviii.    Esay  Iviii.    "  Cry  out  and  cease  not."    Also  Hier.  ii.  vii. 

Mark  xvi.    The  Same  commandment  was  given  to  all  the  apostles,  Mark 

Matt,  xxviii.  xvi.  Matt,  xxviii.    The  same  coramandeth  St  Paul,  2  Tim. 

2  Xiin  iv»  •  • 

iv.,  "  Preach  in  time  and  out  of  time."  This  is  the  note 
and  mark  to  know  the  bishops  and  ministers  of  God  from 
the  ministers  of  the  devil,  by  the  preaching  tongue  of  the 
gospel,  and  not  by  shaving,  clipping,  vestments,  and  out- 
ward apparel. 

The  text  maketh  answer  to  an  objection  that  might 
be  demanded,  wherefore  God  would  send  Jonas,  a  man  of 
base  sort,  to  rebuke  so  great  a  king  with  his  council,  and 
commonwealth. 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


449 


Because  their  sins  are  come  up  before  the  face  of 
the  Lord. 

Of  this  answer  we  learn  three  things.  The  firsts  that 
the  Lord  seeth,  marketh,  and  is  displeased  with  our  sins, 
although  we  live  in  all  security,  and  careless,  as  though  our 
sins  offended  God  nothing  at  all. 

The  second,  as  many  times  as  God  sendeth  such  preachers, 
as  without  fear  sheweth  unto  the  world  God's  word  and 
punishment  for  sin,  that  their  sin  is  full  ripe,  and  that 
they  must  either  amend  at  the  preaching,  or  utterly  to 
perish  under  the  plague  and  scourge  of  God.  Thus  Noah 
was  preacher  before  the  flood,  Jonas  before  the  destruction 
of  Ninive,  Loth  of  Sodom,  Christ  and  his  apostles  of 
Hierusalem.  Seeing  now  that  God  hath  sent  his  word, 
his  king,  his  magistrates,  and  his  preachers  into  England, 
it  is  (take  heed  of  it)  a  very  token  that  the  sins  of  En- 
gland is  ascended  up  into  his  sight,  and  that  out  of  hand 
we  amend,  or  suddenly  to  look  for  the  most  severe  and 
cruel  punishment  of  God.  All  men  confess  that  sin  never 
so  abounded ;  but  none  of  us  say,  "  It  is  I  that  provoke  the 
ire  of  God,  and  I  will  amend."  The  nobility  putteth  all 
the  fault  in  the  people,  the  people  in  the  nobility,  in  the 
bishops,  merchants,  priests,  and  other.  But  will  ye  be 
judged,  at  one  word,  by  the  testimony  of  a  noble  wise  man  ? 
Noble  Esay,  the  prophet,  saith,  "  The  ox  knoweth  his  lord,  isai.  i. 
and  the  ass  his  owner's  stable :  woe  is  me,  ye  sinful  people, 
people  laden  with  iniquity,  a  seed  malicious,  lost  children ! 
ye  have  forsaken  the  Lord,  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  ye 
have  provoked  ;"  as  Esay  i.  Let  every  man  look  upon  him- 
self, knowledge  his  sin,  and  study  to  amend  it  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest ;  for  the  Lord  is  ready  to  smite. 

The  third  doctrine  out  of  this  place  is  a  description 
of  God's  nature,  and  long-sufferance  towards  kingdoms, 
realms,  public  and  private  persons :  for  whereas  he  might 
most  justly  punish  and  take  vengeance  upon  us  for  sin,  he 
is  yet  so  merciful  that  he  premonisheth  and  forewameth  of 
his  scourge  to  come,  by  his  prophets,  apostles,  and  preachers, 
and  willeth  the  world  to  amend.  In  case  they  so  do,  he 
will  turn  his  ire  from  them  ;  if  they  will  not,  no  remedy 
but  utter  destruction;   as  ye  may  read  Gen.  vii.  of  the 


450  SERMONS    UPON    JONAS.  [sERM. 

Gen.vii.     flood,  Gen.  xix.  of  Sodom,  Exod.  xiv.  of  Pharao.    But  let 
Exod.  xiv.   US  rather  follow  the  example  of  the  Ninivites,  and  amend, 
than  the  example  of  the  Egyptians,  and  perish.    Thus  much 
is  to  be  taken  heed  of  in  the  legacy  of  Jonas,  in  the  first 
part  of  the  chapter. 

Now  foUoweth  the  second  part,  containing  Jonas'  dis- 
obedience, after  this  sort  in  the  text : 

Whereupon  Jonas  rose  to  fly  from  the  face  of  the 
Lord  into  Tharsis,  and  came  to  Japho,  and 
found  a  ship  pressed  towards  Tharsis:  paying 
his  passage,  he  went  into  her,  to  come  with 
them  unto  Tharsis. 

Jonas  was  commanded  to  cry  and  preach  against  the 
Ninivites ;  but  being  afeard,  and  suspecting  the  difficulty 
of  the  vocation,  flieth  another  way.  Here,  first,  are  two 
things  to  be  noted ;  whither  he  flieth,  and  from  whence 
he  flieth:  the  text  saith  he  fled  to  Tharsis,  which  some 
men  think  is  the  sea  called  Mare  Mediterraneum ;  but  the 
more  true  opinion  is,  that  Tharsis  is  the  city  called  Tunes 
or  Carthage.  Japho  is  the  city  called  Joppe,  a  haven  town 
in  Palestina.  He  flieth  from  the  face  of  God ;  that  is,  to 
wit,  from  the  benevolent  and  merciful  God,  that  appointed 
him  to  the  vocation  of  preaching. 

Of  this  text  we  learn  many  godly  doctrines.  First, 
how  hard  and  difficult  a  vocation  it  is  to  be  a  preacher,  that 
in  case  he  be  not  with  a  singular  mercy  of  God  comforted 
and  strengthened,  he  cannot,  nor  is  it  possible  he  should, 
preach  truly  God's  word;  as  it  is  to  be  seen  by  Moses, 
Exod.  y.  vi.  Exod.  V.  vi.    Esay  vi.    Hier.  i.  ii.    Matt.  x. ;  and  in  this 
jer!"iyi'i.     ye  may  see  the  diversity  between  the  ministry  of  God  and 
Matt.  X.     ^£       devil,  of  Christ  and  of  antichrist.     Christ's  ministry 
is  full  of  labours,  pains,  slanders,  and  calamities :  antichrist 
is  full  of  ease',  pleasures,  commodities,  and  honours,  as  ye 
may  see  through  all  the  kingdom  of  the  pope ;  for  there 
is  not  a  bishoprick  nor  benefice  can  fall,  but  ten  are  ready 
to  take  it  or  it  come  to  the  ground ;  yea,  and  help  away 


\}  Ease :  care,  D.  l.J 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


451 


the  incumbent  with  an  ItaUan  fig  before-time,  as  ye  may 
read  of  Victor  the  Third^. 

The  second  doctrine  is,  that  whosoever  leaveth  undone 
the  office  commanded  unto  him  by  God,  flieth  from  the 
favour  and  good-will  of  God,  as  it  is  to  be  seen,  1  Reg.  xv.  i  Sam.  xv. 
Here  be  all  bishops  and  priests  admonished  to  beware  how 
they  leave  their  duties  and  cures.  They  fly  from  the  face 
of  God,  as  many  as  bear  that  name,  and  preach  not  the 
word  of  God,  and  instruct  not  the  people  after  the  mouth 
of  God.  Miserable  and  cursed  is  our  time  of  God's  own 
mouth,  that  there  be  such  dumb  bishops,  unpreaching  pre- 
lates, and  such  ass-headed  ministers  in  the  church  of  God. 
Christ  instituted  neither  singers  nor  massers,  but  preachers 
and  testimonies  of  his  true  doctrine.  Mark  xvi.  Matt,  xxviii.  ^^[J'''^'-... 
Luke  xxiv.  Acts  i.    He  that  leaveth  this  doctrine  untaught  Luke  xxiv. 

Acts  i. 

in  the  church,  or  teacheth  a  contrary  doctrine,  flieth  from 
the  face  of  God,  and  do  incur  the  danger  and  damnation 
that  is  written,  Ezech.  xxxiii.  iii.  "  I  will  require  their  Ezek.  iii. 
loss,"  saith  God  to  the  preacher,  "  at  thy  hand."  Let  no 
man,  therefore,  be  oifended,  if  the  crier  speak  against  the 
faults  of  all  degrees  without  exception,  seeing  he  is  com- 
manded so  to  do  upon  the  pain  eternal  of  his  soul ;  and 
Paul  saith,  "  Woe  be  unto  me  if  I  preach  not !"  1  Cor.  ix.  i  cor.  ix. 
Let  all  men  take  heed  to  do  the  thing  that  appertaineth 
to  their  office,  least  they  depart  from  the  face  of  the  Lord ; 
as  kings  do,  if  they  make  any  laws  contrary  to  the  law  of 
God  and  the  law  of  nature,  or  suffer  their  subjects  to  be 
taught  in  any  doctrine  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls 
beside  and  contrary  to  the  express  word  of  God.  The 
justice  departeth  from  the  face  of  God,  when  that  he  for 
favour,  preposterous  pity,  or  for  bribes,  judgeth  not  justly. 
The  gentlemen,  when  beside  charity  they  help^  themselves 
with  the  hurt  of  their  neighbours.  The  commons  of  every 
realm  departeth  from  the  favour  of  God,  when  seditiously 
and  inobediently  they  make  tumults  and  sedition,  lifting  up 
weapon  against  their  king  and  rulers,  which  leadeth  to 
eternal  damnation.    Rom.  xiii.  Num.  xvi.  ^'^^ 

P  William  of  Malmsbury  relates  that  Victor  III.  had  poison  ad- 
ministered to  him  in  the  cup  at  the  sacrament.  Platina  says  that 
he  died  "not  without  suspicion  of  being  poisoned."] 

P  They  help  :  seek,  D.  1.] 

29—2 


452 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


But  a  man  might  say,  Tueh !  it  is  not  so  great  a 
matter  if  a  man  walk  not  in  his  vocation,  neither  yet  is 
God  so  much  offended  with  disobedience.  But  this  fleshly 
and  perverse  opinion  may  soon  be  corrected,  if  men  would 
consider  the  dangers  that  this  poor  man  Jonas  fell  into 
for  his  disobedience.  They  be  in  number  six.  The  first 
is,  the  perilous  winds  that  troubleth  the  ship.  The  second, 
his  sin  and  disobedience  is  detected  and  made  open  by  lots. 
The  third,  he  is  examined  what  he  is.  The  fourth,  he  is 
constrained  to  give  sentence  of  death  against  himself.  The 
fifth,  the  shipmen  cannot  save  him.  The  sixth,  he  is  cast 
into  the  sea. 

The  first  danger  hath  two  parts :  the  one  sheweth  the 
danger  of  the  ship ;  the  other  sheweth  how  the  mariners 
behaveth  themselves  in  the  time  of  their  danger.  Of  the 
first  thus  saith  the  prophet: 

The  Lord  hurled  a  great  wind  into  the  sea,  and 
there  arose  a  mighty  tempest  in  the  sea,  so  that 
the  ship  was  in  jeopardy  of  going  in  pieces. 

Well  we  may  think  to  escape  the  danger  of  God,  though 
we  neglect  our  duty  and  vocation ;    but  truly  it  cannot 

Fs.  cxxxix.  be  so.  "  Whither,"  saith  David,  "  should  I  go  from  thy 
Spirit,  and  whither  should  I  flee  from  thy  face  V  Psal. 
cxxxix.  There  is  no  comer  of  the  world  wherein  man  may 
hide  himself  from  the  knowledge  and  punishment  of  God, 
if  we  neglect  the  works  of  our  vocation.  He  hath  all  things 
in  his  hand,  heaven,  earth,  the  winds,  and  the  waters,  with 
the  which  he  useth  to  punish  the  wickedness  ot  trans- 
gressors withal  at  his  pleasure,  when  he  will;  as  it  is  to 

1  Sam.  vii.  be  ssen,  1  Sam. 

Of  this  place  of  the  text  we  learn,  that  whosoever, 
contrary  to  God's  commandment,  studieth  to  avoid  one  evil, 
falleth  into  many.  The  bishop  or  the  preacher,  that  for 
the  love  or  fear  of  the  world  letteth  to  speak  the  truth, 
falleth  into  the  burning  and  damnation  of  his  own  con- 
science. The  people  that  against  God's  law  would  defend 
the^poverty  of  their  bodies,  lost  body,  soul,  wife,  children, 
and  all  together.  The  corrupt  judge  in  searching  to  serve 
his  own  turn  or  his  friend's  in  corrupting  of  justice,  bringeth 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


453 


both  himself  and  his  friend  into  the  danger  of  eternal  dam- 
nation. 

The  text  proceedeth,  that  sheweth  how  the  mariners 
behaved  themselves  in  this  danger,  which  thing  is  dili- 
gently to  be  noted ;  for  in  them  is  expressed  a  very  lively 
image  of  all  men  that  lacketh  faith,  how  they  fear  above 
measure  in  the  time  of  trouble.  Their  doings  is  expressed 
four  ways:  first,  their  faith';  second,  each  of  them  calleth 
upon  his  own  God ;  third,  they  exonerate  the  ship ;  fourth, 
they  wake  Jonas  out  of  his  sleep. 

The  fear  declareth  the  greatness  of  the  danger  they 
were  in,  and  their  ignorance  of  God,  who  only  comforteth 
in  the  days  and  hour  of  trouble. 

That  every  man  calleth  upon  his  own  God,  it  ap- 
peareth  there  were  people  of  sundry  and  divers  nations : 
and  also,  what  is  common  to  all  men  under  the  sun,  that 
have  not  lost  the  use  of  reason ;  when  we  be  left  desti- 
tute of  human  help,  we  call  upon  God,  not  for  love,  but 
for  fear ;  as  it  is  said,  Metus  primus  in  orbe  Deos  fecit, 
that  is  to  say,  "  Fear  was  the  first  that  made  gods  in 
the  world."  These  mariners  are  of  some  part  to  be  followed, 
of  some  part  not :  that  in  the  day  of  trouble  they  pray,  we 
ought  to  follow  them ;  that  they  pray  not  to  the  one  and 
sole  God,  but  every  man  to  a  sundry  god,  they  may  not 
be  followed :  for  there  is  but  one  patron  and  helper  for 
all  men,  and  he  is  never,  nor  nowhere,  known  but  by  his 
word.  Man's  reason  knoweth  right  well  in  the  time  of 
trouble,  that  there  is  a  God ;  but  who  he  is,  reason  can- 
not tell :  therefore  worshippeth  reason  an  idol  of  his  own 
head,  under  the  name  of  God ;  and  then  foUoweth  man 
either  his  own  opinion,  either  the  tradition  of  his  elders. 
And  this  is  the  fountain  of  idololatry  ;  when  that  every  man 
thinketh  him  to  be  his  god,  that  he  himself,  his  elders, 
or  custom  hath  taken  to  be  God.  From  hence  came  such 
diversity  of  gods  among  the  gentiles,  and  so  many  patrons 
among  the  superstitious  sort  of  Christians.  These  gods  al^ 
together  be  forbid.    Exod.  xx.  Deut.  vi.  xxxii.  Exoa.  xx. 

Deut.  vi. 

They  lighten  the  ship.    When  they  felt  that  prayers  xxxif. 
availed  nothing,  they  turn  to  labour,  which   also  eased 


I  '  So  the  old  editions.    A  mistake  for  fearJ] 


454  SERMONS    UPON  JONAS.  [sERM. 

them  nothing:  whereby  we  learn,  that  all  gods  and  god- 
desses be  but  vanity,  saving  our  God,  the  Father  of  J esus 
Christ;   and  no  labour  nor  travail  availeth  without  the 

Luke[viii.3  favour  of  God.  Luke  ix.  The  woman  had  spent  all 
she  had  on  physicians,  yet  nothing  the  better :  so  doeth 
the  papists  in  masses,  and  yet  their  conscience  nothing 
more  delivered  from  sin  ;  and  those  that  pray  to  saints 
attaineth  nothing.  If  their  request  be  sometime  granted 
them,  it  is  none  other  than  a  punishment  of  their  ido- 

2Thess.  ii.  lolatry,  2  Thes.  ii. 

The  fourth  thing  they  do,  they  wake  Jonas. 

But  Jonas  gat  him  under  the  hatches,  where  he 
laid  him  down  and  slumbered. 

The  text  noteth  two  things :  one,  that  Jonas  slept ; 
the  other,  how  the  mariners  awoke  him  to  call  upon  his 
God.  Jonas'  sleep  signifieth  two  things.  First,  that 
when  we  think  ourselves  most  at  rest,  then  be  we  most 
in  danger,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  by  Baltheser',  in  the  pro- 
Matt,  xxiv.  phet  Daniel,  and  Matt.  xxiv.  2  Thess.  ii.  Luke  xii.  The 

2Thess.  u.    i  '  . 

Luke  xii.  second  is,  to  declare  the  nature  of  sm.  Whiles  it  is  a 
committing,  the  prick  and  danger  thereof  is  not  felt,  but  it 
delighteth  rather  man  :  so  without  fear  ate  Adam  and  Eve 
the  apple ;  Peter  denied  Christ.  And  because  God  out 
of  hand  punisheth  not  our  sin,  the  devil  bewitcheth  our 
minds  and  wits,  and  beareth  us  in  hand  that  he  will  never 
punish,  and  that  God  seeth  not  our  sin,  nor  is  not  so 
grievously  offended  with  our  sins.  So  yet  sleepeth  the  sin 
at  this  day,  of  them  that  persecute  God  and  his  holy 
word ;  the  sins  of  false  or  negligent  bishops  and  priests, 
the  sin  of  the  corrupt  judges,  and  seditious  people:  but 
it  will  awake  one  day,  as  ye  may  read.  Gen.  iv.  and  here 
by  our  Jonas.  At  the  hour  of  our  death  sin  will  awake, 
and  with  our  own  sin  the  devil  will  kill  us  eternally,  except 
we  awake  betime. 

That  they  desire  Jonas  to  pray  unto  his  God,  it  de- 
clareth  that  all  idololatry  and  superstitious  persons  think 
one  God  to  be  stronger  than  the  other :  as  it  is  to  be 
seen  in  papistry  at  this  present  day,  whereas  it  is  disputed 


[}  Baltheser :  Belshazzar.] 


SKRMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


455 


which  lady  is  best,  our  lady  of  BuUayne^,  or  our  lady  of 
Rome;  Saint  James  in  Italy,  or  Saint  James  at  Compostella'^. 
Farther,  this  text  declareth  that  idolaters  always  seek 
new  gods,  where  as  their  old  god  deceiveth  them.  So  is  it 
among  Christians ;  when  the  matter  is  plain  desperate, 
they  lot  the  matter  between  three  or  four  idololatrical  pil- 
grimages, which  one  of  them  shall  be  the  patron  of  his 
health.  Where  as  the  word  of  God  is  known,  there  is 
no  suit  but  unto  one  God  by  the  mediation  of  Christ, 
beside  whom  there  is  no  health*.  This  God  I  commend 
unto  you ;  unto  this  God  make  your  prayers ;  forsake  that 
heretical  doctrine  that  divideth  your  hearts  in  prayer,  part 
to  God,  and  part  to  saints  departed ;  for  God  is  sufficient 
to  help,  and  will  help  alone.  Esay  Ixiii.  To  him  be  all  isai.  ixiii. 
honour  and  glory  now  and  for  ever. 

The  end  of  the  First  Sermon. 

\^  This  shrine  of  the  Virgin  seems  to  have  heen  in  great  repute. 
The  English  delivered  up  Bologne  to  the  French,  on  Saint  Mark's  day, 
1550.  The  French  king  entered  in  triumph  fifteen  days  after,  and 
"offered  one  great  image  of  silver  in  the  church  there  which  was 
called  'Our  Lady  Church';  the  which  said  image  he  had  caused  specially 
to  be  made  in  the  honour  of  the  said  Lady,  and  caused  the  same  to  be 
set  up  in  the  place  where  the  like  image  before  did  stand,  the  which 
before  was  taken  away  by  the  Englishmen  at  the  winning  of  the  town." 
HollLngshed  Chronicles,  Vol.  ii.  p.  1062.3 

P  See  Cave's  lives  of  the  Apostles ;  where  a  full  account  is  given 
of  the  fabulous  history  of  St  James'  body  being  transported  into  Spain 
after  his  martyrdom.  Compostella,  the  name  of  the  place  where  the 
Apostle's  remains  are  said  to  have  been  deposited,  is  described  as  a 
corruption  of  Giacomo  Postolo.  (Ad  Jacobum  Apostolum.)  The  relics  ^ 
of  this  saint  are  reported  to  have  wrought  such  incredible  miracles, 
that  Baronius  calls  Compostella  "  the  great  storehouse  of  miracles  lying 
open  to  the  whole  world."] 
Salvation.] 


456 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


THE 

SECOND  SERMON 
UPON  JONAS, 

MADE  BY  JOHN  HOPER,    26th  OF  FEBRUARY. 


C  THE  PREFACE. 

Unto  every  man  is  appointed  his  vocation ;  to  one 
this,  to  another  that ;  one  to  a  private,  another  to  a  public 
vocation ;  and  each  of  them  either  is  lawful  or  unlawful. 
That  is  unlawful  that  fighteth  and  repugneth  with  the 
word  of  God ;  as  the  vocation  of  bawds,  idolaters,  mass- 
mongers,  common  receivers,  and  maintainers  of  dicers  and 
dice-houses,  with  such  like.  In  these,  or  any  like,  whoso- 
ever continueth^  still  without  repentance,  is  subject  to  eter- 
nal damnation. 

The  other  vocation  is  lawful,  and  standeth  with  the  word 
of  God  ;  of  the  which  St  Paul  speaketh  :  "  In  what  vocation 
any  man  is  called,  in  the  same  let  him  abide."  But  this  lawful 
vocation  we  transgress  two  manner  of  ways :  either  when 
we  bear  the  title  or  name  of  the  vocation,  and  do  nothing 
appertaining  thereunto,  which  is  condemned  by  God,  in 
that  he  commanded  in  Adam  all  men  to  avoid  idleness, 
Gen.  iii.  Gen.  iii.  "  In  the  sweat  of  thy  brows  thou  shalt  eat 
1  Thess.  thy  bread  ;"  and  Paul,  1  Thess.  2  Thess.  :  either  when 
we  do  in  the  vocation  that  we  should  not  do ;  as,  for  ex- 
ample, a  bishop  to  teach  false  doctrine  for  a  true ;  a 
judge,  that  should  judge  truly,  corrupteth  judgment  for 
favour  or  money ;  a  merchant  to  wax  richer  by  false  con- 
tracts or  corrupt  wares.  Into  what  danger  each  man 
falleth,  that  any  way  transgresseth  his  vocation,  it  is  to 
be  seen  by  this  our  Jonas,  who  in  voiding  of  one  danger 
falleth  into  six,  as  ye  have  heard  before :  of  the  which 
six  we  have  spoken  but  of  one ;    and  in  the  one  noted 


P  Continually,  D.  1.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


457 


many  and  profitable  doctrines,  as  well  declaring  man's  in- 
firmity, that  cannot  help  itself  out^  from  the  dangers  of 
the  body ;  as  of  the  power  and  good-will  of  God,  that 
can  and  will  save  both  from  the  dangers  of  body  and  soul. 
All  men  confess  him  to  be  the  true  God,  that  can  and 
will  help  all  diseases,  the  Jews,  the  Turks,  the  gentiles, 
the  good,  the  bad.  But  therein  standeth  the  danger,  lest 
for  the  true  God  we  call  and  invocate  a  false  god,  and 
under  the  name  of  god  we  honour  and  worship  the  devil,  as 
these  mariners  did  when  each  of  them  called  to  a  sundry 
god;  and  as  the  gentiles  doth  that  David  speaketh  of, 
Psal.  cvi.,  that  they  sacrificed  their  children  to  the  devil,  Psal.  cvi. 
and  not  to  God.  David  saith,  they  offered  to  the  devil 
that  they  thought  was  offered  to  God.  And  Paul,  1  Co-  i  cor.  x. 
rinthians  x.,  calleth  the  religion  of  the  heathen  the  table 
of  the  devil. 

So  did  the  Jews  before  us ;  and  so  do  they  in  these 
days  now,  that  for  every  disease  they  have  a  sundry  god 
and  patron ;  for  the  pestilence,  St  Roch^  ;  for  the  war, 
St  Barbara*  In  this  danger  of  idololatry  be  all  they 
that  call  upon  God,  and  pray  unto  him,  otherwise  than 
he  hath  appointed  by  his  word.  And  here  we  be  admon- 
ished of  two  things.  The  first,  that  we  offer  none  other 
obsequy  and  religion  unto  God  than  he  himself  by  his 
word  requireth :  if  we  do,  we  offer  an  idol  of  our  own 
head,  and  honour  the  devil  under  the  person  and  name 
of  God ;  as  those  doth  that  erect  and  build  up  images, 
and  altars  to  say  mass  upon  in  the  honour  of  God,  which 
God  never  commanded.    Exod.  xxii.  Deut.  v.    The  next  Exod.  xxii. 

Deut.  V. 

\y  Out :  not,  in  the  second  edition.] 

P  St  Roch  is  said  to  have  lived  at  the  close  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  Being  on  a  pilgrimage  at  Rome,  he  cured  many  persons  of 
the  plague,  but  afterwards  was  himself  seized  with  that  disorder  at 
Placentia.  Retiring  into  a  forest,  he  was  attended  by  a  dog,  who  daily 
brought  him  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  licked  his  sores  till  he  recovered. 
He  died  in  1327,  at  Montpellier,  his  birth-place.  See  Maldura's  life 
of  St  Roch.] 

[■*  St  Barbara  was  a  celebrated  martyr  in  the  third  century,  whose 
father,  it  is  related,  beheaded  her  with  his  own  hands,  after  she  had 
suffered  the  most  cruel  tortures  for  her  determined  adherence  to  the 
christian  faith.  Simeon  Metaphrastes  gives  a  fearful  account  of  her  suf- 
ferings and  death.  See  Aloysii,  Lip.  Veron.  Sanctorum  Historia. 
Tom.  ii.  p.  106.    See  also  Asseman.  in  Calend.  Univ.  Vol.  v.  p.  108.] 


458 


SERMONS   UPON  /ONASf, 


we  be  here  admonished  of  is,  that  we  call  upon  God  only 
in  the  name  of  Christ :  for  he  is  the  door,  the  way,  and 

John  X.      the  truth ;  John  x.  and  he  alone  sheweth  us  the  Father. 

John  i.  vi.  John  i.  and  vi.  Here  be  condemned  not  only  the  Jews  and 
gentiles,  but  also  as  many  as  would  know  and  come  to 
the  Father  by  invocation  of  the  saints  departed,  by  bulls, 
pardons,  peregrinations,  mass,  and  other.  Let  this  error 
be  corrected,  and  let  us  leave  calling  every  man  to  his 
own  god,  and  call  only  upon  the  only  Grod  that  can  and 
will,  in  Christ,  hear  us,  as  he  heard  the  patriarchs,  prophets, 
and  the  apostles.  And  that  this  be  done,  it  is  the  office  of 
the  king's  majesty,  his  council,  and  all  his  magistrates, 
to  see  the  true  book  of  God,  the  holy  Bible,  to  be  taught 
and  received  of  his  majesty's  subjects,  after  the  example 
of  Moses,  Josua,  David,  Josaphat,  Ezechias,  and  Josias, 
the  noble  princes  of  God's  people.  There  was  and  is  one 
doctrine  more,  in  that  the  mariners  did  not  only  pray, 
but  also  lightened  the  ship.  That  they  prayed  and  were 
not  heard,  ye  learn  what  a  vanity  it  is  to  pray  after  the 
opinion  of  man ;  nothing  at  all  it  availeth ;  it  never  cometh 
before  God,  nor  easeth  the  conscience  of  him  that  prayeth. 
Further,  that  they  do  not  only  pray,  but  also  labour, 
we  see  our  duty;  that  as  God  freely  giveth  help,  so  we 
must  travail,  and  do  the  best  we  can  with  prayer,  not  only 
to  receive  and  obtain  the  free  help  of  God,  but  also  to 
keep  it.  Thus  I  thought  good  to  speak  before  the  se- 
cond danger,  which  is  this :  Jonas'  sin  is  detected  by 
lots ;  so  saith  the  text : 

They  said  one  to  the  other,  Come,  let  us  cast  lots, 
that  we  may  know  for  whose  cause  we  are  thus 
troubled :  and  so  they  cast  lots,  and  the  lot  fell 
upon  Jonas. 

When  they  perceived  the  tempest  ceased  not  with  prayer 
and  devotion  every  man  unto  his  god,  they  understood  that 
such  desperate  danger  could  not  come  but  only  fi-om  the 
ire  and  displeasure  of  God,  for  some  notable  and  wonderful 
crime;  and  the  more  was  the  fear,  because  the  crime  was 
not  known,  nor  no  man  would  be  seen  culpable  of  it.  They 
thought  it  good,  therefore,  to  search  the  guilty  offender 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


459 


by  lots ;  and  missed  not  of  their  purpose  a  deal,  but  found 
Jonas,  the  rebellion  of  God,  to  be  the  occasion  of  their 
trouble. 

Of  this  text  we  be  learned,  that  the  cause  of  all 
trouble,  in  public  and  private  persons,  is  sin,  as  we  read, 
Deut.  xxviii.  Levit.  xxvi.    That  understood  the  marmers  i  Ueut.  xxviu. 
and  in  case  be  we  wise,  we  will  understand  the  same,  and  '" 
amend  it,  and  not  to  attribute  our  adversities  to  sun  or 
moon,  star  or  planet,  as  fools  do. 

Of  this  text  we  learn  again,  howsoever  sin  be  hid  for 
the  time,  yet  at  length  it  will  be  known  ;   some  by  one 
means,  some  by  the  other:    by  lots,  as  our  Jonas  and 
Ahab\  Judicum  and  1  Samuel  xiv. ;  by  their  own  con- [Josh,  vii.j 
fession,  as  David,  2  Samuel  [xii.]    Let  no  man,  therefore,  2  Sam.  [xii.] 
think  to  keep  always  his  sin  hid. 

Farther,  here  we  learn  how  every  kingdom  and  com- 
monwealth may  be  appeased  when  it  is  troubled.  If  the 
chief  captains  and  principal  occasions  of  the  trouble  be 
known  and  removed,  then  shall  peace,  joy,  and  quietness 
follow  in  the  commonwealth ;  else  never,  except  the  scrip- 
ture of  God  be  false.  Men  of  the  best  judgment  in  civil 
matters  many  times,  under  the  name  and  similitude  of  a 
ship,  understand  the  commonwealth.  In  case  the  ship, 
which  is  the  commonwealth,  be  troubled,  the  master  of  the 
ship,  that  is  the  king  with  his  council,  inquireth^  diligently 
of  the  authors  of  the  trouble,  or  else  the  tempest  of  trouble 
shall  never  cease.  At  this  day,  gracious  king,  the  ship  of 
the  commonwealth  is  sore  moved  with  winds  and  tempests. 
Here  your  majesty  and  your  most  honourable  council  may 
not  cease,  if  ye  would  the  ship  to  come  to  rest,  but  take 
the  pain  to  find  out  the  authors  of  these  troubles. 

In  case  ye  will,  as  indeed  ye  must,  by  some  means 
find  out  the  occasions  of  these  troubles  and  unquietness 
within  your  majesty's  realm,  ye  shall  not  find,  as  many 
report,  the  gospel  to  be  the  cause  thereof;  for  it  is  the 
word  of  peace,  and  the  disciples  thereof  be  assured  of  all 
grace  and  God's  favour,  Deut.  xxviii. ;  and  Christ  appeased  oeut.  xxviii. 
with  his  presence  the  troublous  waves  of  the  sea,  John  vi.  johnvi. 
Upon  whom  then  will  the  lot  of  unquietness  and  trouble 

Ahab  :  Achan,  Josh,  vii.] 
Inquiieth :  inquire,  D.  1.] 


460 


SEBMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


fall  1  Upon  Jonas ;  that  is  to  say,  upon  every  man  that 
neglecteth  his  vocation,  and  doeth  not  as  he  is  bid:  as 
when  he  that  should  steer  the  rudder^  in  a  ship  leaveth  her 
to  waves,  he  that  should  strike  the  sails,  stretcheth  them 
to  more  wind;  and  so,  to  conclude,  none  taketh  heed  of 
that  he  should.  My  gracious  lord  and  king,  and  ye,  my 
lords  of  his  most  honourable  council,  how  many  Jonases 
should  there  be  found  in  England?  Doubtless,  too  many 
in  every  condition  and  sort  of  people  within  this  realm, 
among  the  nobles,  lawyers,  bishops,  priests,  and  the  com- 
mon people.  Examine  all  apart,  and  prove:  the  nobility 
make  unprofitable  expenses,  more  than  their  ability  can 
or  is  able  to  sustain ;  they  feed  a  sort  of  idle  and  never 
commended  sort  of  people,  neither  by  God's  laws,  neither 
by  man's  laws ;  they  themselves  live  idle,  and  will  not  la- 
bour, neither  with  hand,  neither  with  wit.  What  must 
follow  but  trouble  of  the  ship,  that  is  to  say,  oppression 

isai. V.      of  the  poor?    Esay  v. 

The  lawyers  in  all  causes  hath  more  respect  to  lucre 
and  vantage  than  to  justice ;  insomuch  they  rejoice,  and 
of  other  fools  be  rejoiced  at,  when  they  can  overcome  in 
a  false  cause,  and  so  their  thievery  catcheth  up  the  labours 
and  sweat  of  the  poor. 

The  bishops  and  priests  unquiet  the  ship  of  this  realm 
two  manner  ways ;  one  by  the  neglecting  of  their  true 
duty,  the  other  by  a  defence  of  a  false  and  damnable 
superstition.  In  the  primitive  and  apostolical  church,  the 
office  of  a  bishop  and  priest  was  to  teach  in  the  congre- 
gation of  the  faithfuls  the  doctrine  of  the  prophets  and 

Matt,  xxviii.  apostles,  according  to  the  commandment  of  Christ.  Matt. 

Ephai!^'"  xxviii.  Mark  xvi.  Eph.  ii.  Now  is  this  integrity  turned 
into  false  idololatry  and  devilish  superstition — to  sing  and 
say  mass  in  the  congregation  of  God.  Thus,  like  thieves 
and  murderers,  they  do  the  abomination  commanded  by 
man,  with  massing,  conjuring  the  holy-water  bucket,  and 
such  like,  and  leave  the  preaching  of  God's  word  as  God 
commandeth,  and  as  the  prophets  and  apostles  hath  left 
us  example;  and  say,  when  godly  kings  and  magistrates 
require  and  command  a  reformation  of  their  evils,  the  minis- 
try of  the  church  is  contemned  with  such  false  slanders. 
Steer  the  rudder.    Stirre  the  rother.    Old  Editions.] 


n.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


461 


as  the  ignorant  people  will  do  more  for  the  bishops  and 
priests  of  Ball^  than  for  God,  God's  word,  or  his  anointed 
magistrate,  as  it  appeared  this  last  summer^. 

The  people  and  commonalty  of  this  realm  trouble  the 
ship  of  this  commonwealth.  For  do  the  king  and  magis- 
trate what  he  can,  the  people  will  never  be  content.  Many 
of  them  live  in  idleness,  and  will  not  labour ;  and  in  case 
they  cannot  have  that  they  would,  they  convert  themselves 
to  sedition  and  treason,  and  care  no  more  to  kill  and 
oppress  their  lawful  king  and  magistrates,  than  the  devil 
cared  to  kill  Adam  in  paradise.  Gen.  iii.  They  should  Gen.  iii. 
call  unto  the  Lord  for  redress  of  their  things,  and  not  to 
redress  it  themselves.  Psal.  1.  Psai.  i. 

How  is  it  possible,  where  every  sort  offendeth  in  the 
commonwealth,  but  that  the  ire  and  vengeance  of  God  should 
send  unto  our  ship  winds  of  adversity  ?  I  know  that  Jonas 
was  never  better  known  to  be  the  occasion  of  this  tempest  in 
the  sea,  than  I  know  these  four  sorts  of  people  to  be  the 
trouble,  and  will  be  the  destruction,  of  this  commonwealth, 
if  they  be  not  found  out  by  lot  and  wisdom  betime.  But  a 
man  might  ask,  what  should  the  king's  majesty  do  in  such  a 
case  with  all  these  four  sorts  of  Jonases  ?  Let  his  majesty 
learn  of  these  mariners ;  then  shall  he  do  well ;  and  as 
they  did  with  Jonas,  so  the  king's  majesty  must  do  with 
these  four  sorts  of  people.  What  they  did,  the  prophet 
shall  tell  his  own  tale,  and  declare  the  third  danger  he 
fell  into,  which  is  the  examination  of  Jonas  in  this  form  : 

They  said  unto  him,  Shew  us,  I  pray  thee,  how 
this  trouble  happeneth  uuto  us?  What  is 
thine  occupation  ?  Whence  comest  thou  ?  What 
countryman  art  thou  ?  Of  what  nation  art 
thou? 

P  Ball :  Baal.] 

P  This  has  reference  to  the  insurrections  in  Devonshire  &c. 
Cranmer  speaks  of  "  some  seditious  priests"  who  encouraged  the  people 
to  rebel ;  and  Burnet  mentions  "  that  the  priests  inflamed  the  enraged 
multitude  with  all  the  artifices  they  could  imagine."  Hist.  Reform. 
Part  II.  Book  1,  pp.  875,  376.  London,  1841.  See  also  Archbishop 
Cranmer's  answers  to  the  fifteen  articles  of  the  Rebels,  1549.  Strype's 
Life  of  Cranmer,  Vol.  ii.] 


462 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


In  these  ethnical  mariners  we  see  a  singular  discretion, 
wit,  and  humanity.  What,  if  our  mariners,  Christians,  had 
suffered  the  like  danger  and  detriment  for  any  man's  sake 
within  their  ship?  Doubtless,  they  would  have  sworn,  and  out 
of  hand,  without  examination,  have  cast  him  into  the  sea. 
But  these  men  be  wise,  that  they  do  not  only  search  to 
know  his  fault  by  lots,  but  diligently  seeketh  to  know  all 
the  circumstances,  how  he  fell  into  this  danger,  lest  Jonas 
should  account  himself  unjustly  condemned.  Of  this  doing 
of  the  mariners  we  learn  two  things :  one,  humanity  towards 
the  afflicted  persons ;  the  other,  that  all  kings  and  magis- 
trates ought  to  condemn  this  law  as  a  thing  pestiferous 
and  damned  by  God's  laws,  to  execute  sentence  against 
any  man,  before  his  cause  and  matter  be  heard  :  for  it  is 
contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  the  law  of  nature,  and  the 
law  of  man ;  yea,  God  commandeth  that  no  man  should  be 
Dent.  xvii.  condemned  with  the  testimony  of  one  man.   Deut.  xvii. 

Here  is  for  the  king's  majesty  and  his  council  one  more 
doctrine  to  be  learned  of  these  mariners.  I  said,  that 
four  sorts  of  people  were  the  occasion  of  the  trouble  of  his 
majesty's  ship,  this  realm  of  England ;  but  I  said  not  that 
every  man  of  these  four  sorts  was  guilty  of  the  tempest: 
therefore  there  must  be  lots,  and  examination  of  every  degree, 
and  of  each  person  in  his  degree,  that  the  innocent  be 
not  punished,  neither  the  transgressor  favoured.  And  these 
must  be  examined  by  the  master  and  his  shipmen ;  that 
is,  to  our  purpose,  of  the  king's  majesty  and  his  council ;  so 
that,  in  case  the  godly  without  respect  of  persons  seek  to 
know,  and  upon  truth  and  knowledge  punish  as  they  know, 
the  ship  of  this  commonwealth  shall  rest  in  peace  and  quiet- 
ness :  if  it  be  not  searched  for  and  amended,  the  ship  of 
the  commonwealth  shall  at  last  be  burst  in  pieces,  which  the 
Lord  defend!  Amen. 


III.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


463 


THE 

THIRD  SERMON 
UPON  JONAS, 

MADE  BY  JOHN  HOPER,  THE  5th  OF  MARCH. 


C^THE  PREFACE. 

We  never  read  in  any  writers,  whether  they  be  holy  or 
profane,  of  any  kingdom  or  commonwealth  that  continually 
endured  without  tumults,  sedition,  or  war,  either  by  foreign 
and  outward  enemies,  either  among  itself  by  conspiracy, 
treason,  and  disobedience  of  subjects  of  the  same  realm  : 
and  the  same  evil  not  being  in  time  taken  heed  of  and 
redressed,  brought  always  the  kingdom  or  commonwealth 
from  trouble  and  sedition  unto  utter  ruin  and  confusion. 
We  will  omit  and  pass  over  to  speak  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
Assyrians,  the  Persians,  Greeks,  and  Romans ;  although  of 
their  original,  continuance,  and  destruction,  the  holy  Bible 
maketh  in  Daniel  the  prophet,  and  other  places  of  the 
scripture,  much  mention  of.  We  will  speak  but  of  two 
kingdoms,  of  Juda  and  Israel.  What  troubles,  contention, 
wars,  sedition,  and  rebellion  they  suffered,  and  at  last  came 
clean  to  nought,  the  books  of  the  Kings  and  Chronicles 
doth  record,  and  the  prophet  Jeremy.  What  the  causes  of 
these  troubles  and  destruction  were,  the  godly  readers  of 
the  scriptures  be  not  ignorant ;  but  the  men  of  that  time, 
the  princes,  the  kings,  neither  the  priests,  would  understand, 
but  assigned  false  causes :  the  preaching  of  God's  word, 
3  Reg.  xviii.  For  thus  saith  Ahab  unto  Elias  the  prophet :  i  Kings 
"Art  not  thou  he  that  troubleth  Israel?"  And  so  saith 
the  people,  Hiere.  xliv.  "  The  word  of  God  that  thou  hast  Jer.  xiiv, 
spoken  unto  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  will  not  receive 
it ;  but  we  will  do  whatsoever  seem  unto  us  good,  that  we 
may  do  sacrifice  unto  the  queen  of  heaven,  and  offer  our 
offerings  unto  her,  as  we  have  done  and  our  fathers,  our 
kings  and  our  princes,  in  the  cities  of  Juda,  and  in  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem.  Then  had  we  abundance  of  all  things, 
and  well  was  it  with  us,  and  we  felt  no  evil.    As  soon 


464 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


as  we  left  offering  to  the  queen  of  heaven,  and  sacrificed 
nd  more  sacrifice  unto  her,  we  lacked  all  things,  and  be 

jer.  xiiy.  consumed  with  war  and  hunger."  Hiere.  xliv.  But  the  true 
prophets  of  God  shewed  the  true  causes  of  these  evils  to  be 
the  contempt  of  God's  word,  as  Elias  said  unto  Ahab :  "I 
trouble  not  Israel,  but  thou  and  thy  father's  house  troubleth 
it.  For  ye  have  forsaken  the  commandment  of  the  Lord, 
and  thou  goest  after  Baalim."  But  the  princes  and  the 
people  continually  defended  the  false  causes,  and  accounted 
the  prophets  of  God,  that  would  have  corrected  their  error, 
to  be  seditious  and  traiterous  persons,  and  even  so  perse- 
cuted and  killed  them  for  their  true  preaching ;  till  at  the 
last  they  perished,  and  their  realm  with  them :  as  ye  may 

2  Kings  read,  4  Reg.  xvii.,  and  in  the  last  book  of  the  Chronicles, 
in  the  last  chapter.  Unto  the  lesson  of  those  two  chapters 
I  exhort  the  wise  and  godly  hearer ;  for  ye  shall  gather 
of  those  places,  that  the  contempt  of  God's  word  was 
the  occasion  of  the  loss  of  these  realms. 

The  same  evil  vexeth  us  at  this  present  day.  The  ship 
of  this  commonwealth  of  England  is  tossed  upside  down,  and 
the  occasion  thereof  is  imputed  and  laid  unto  Christ,  and 
his  holy  word,  though  falsely ;  for  Christ's  nature  is  to 
appease  and  quiet  all  troubles  and  tempests  with  his  pre- 

John  vi.  sence,  John  vi.  Therefore  this  false  and  preposterous  cause 
of  trouble  must  be  taken  heed  of,  if  we  wish  the  ship  of 
this  kingdom  to  come  to  rest.  We  shall  never  bring  it  to 
pass,  until  such  time  as  we  agree  and  confess  that  Jonas  is 
the  occasion  why  the  realm  is  thus  unquieted ;  that  is  to 
say,  as  many  as .  be  in  this  realm,  that  neglect  or  pervert 
their  appointed  vocation. 

I  said,  O  king,  that  Jonas  might  be  found  among  four 
sorts  of  people  within  your  majesty's  realm ;  among  the 
priests,  noblemen,  lawyers,  and  the  common  people.  But 
lest  any  man  should  think  I  condemned  every  man  within  the 
ship  of  your  commonwealth,  we  will  follow  the  wisdom  and 
commendable  doings  of  these  shipmen,  which  were  not  only 
content  to  have  found  out  Jonas  the  cause  of  their  trouble 
by  lots,  but  also  diligently  they  examine  him.  So  the 
same  thing,  most  gracious  king,  we  must  do.  But  before 
we  take  upon  us  their  examination,  we  will  pray  unto 
Almighty  God  for  his  holy  Spirit  of  wisdom,  lest  in  this 


HI.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


465 


necessary  and  profitable  examination  we  err  and  be 
deceived ;  and  also  that  they  upon  whom  the  lots 
do  fall,  and  cannot  justly  excuse  their  faults, 
may  learn   to  amend  them  and  turn 
unto  the  Lord,  and  from  hence- 
forth may  live  in  purity  and 
innocency  of  truth  and 
virtue,  all  the  days 
of  their  lives. 
So  be  it. 

The  end  of  the  Preface. 


Ye  have  heard  how  Jonas  for  the  contempt  and  dis- 
obeying of  his  vocation  to  have  fallen  into  six  great  dan- 
gers. Of  two  we  have  spoken,  and  now  we  be  come  to 
the  third,  where  as  he  and  his  facts  be  diligently  examined, 
which  doubtless  was  a  great  cross  and  trouble  unto  him ; 
for  there  is  nothing  that  displeaseth  man  more  than  to 
have  his  faults  hidden  to  be  brought  unto  light  and  know- 
ledge. God,  notwithstanding,  suffereth  that  many  times  for 
our  good  and  profit ;  that  we  being  brought  unto  a  know- 
ledge of  our  sins,  might  hate  the  same  and  pray  for  the 
remission  thereof:  and  so  is  it  better,  howsoever  the  blind 
flesh  judgeth,  to  have  our  sins,  if  God  will,  opened  for  our 
salvation,  than  hid  to  our  loss  and  damnation. 

In  this  examination  we  see  not  only  the  danger  of  Jonas, 
but  also  the  ofiice  of  every  good  magistrate  that  meaneth 
to  quiet  and  rest  his  commonwealth,  being  in  trouble. 

Those  should  be  examined,  that  by  any  sign,  or  pro- 
bable suspicion,  seem  to  be  the  authors  of  tumults.  And 
this  using  moderation  in  examining,  the  innocent  and  good 
shall  be  free  from  pain  and  punishment ;  and  the  culpable 
and  guilty  found  worthy  of  correction.  First,  therefore, 
let  us  examine  the  bishops  and  priests,  whether  those  that 
know  the  will  of  God  by  his  holy  word,  diligently  teach 
and  preach  the  same  unto  other.  Then,  whether  any  man 
of  that  vocation  teach  false  doctrine  in  the  church  of  Christ. 
If  the  one  do  too  little  in  the  first,  and  the  other  too 
much  in  the  second,  or  the  one  neglect  the  first,  and  the 

[hooper. J 


466 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


other  too  diligent  in  the  second,  both  these  be  Jonas, 
and  occasion  that  the  ship  is  moved.    Against  the  negU- 

Ezek.iii.    gent   sort   speaketh   Ezechiel,   iii.   xxxiii.,   and   Agge  i. 

Hag!'i.  with  vehement  words,  and  threateneth  eternal  damnation 
to  such  as  preacheth  not,  nor  buildeth  up  the  temple  of 

f  Cor.  ix.     Grod's  congregation :  likewise  St  Paul,  1  Cor.  ix.  Against 

johnx.      those  that  teach  false  doctrine,  speaketh  Christ,  John  x., 

Jer'.'xiv.^'    and  Paul,  1  Tim.  iv.  Hiere.  xiv. 

Among  the  noblemen,  Jonas  that  troubleth  the  com- 
monwealth may  be  found  among  two  sorts  of  them.  The 
one  of  them  hath  enough  given  him  from  God,  yet  is  not 
content  therewithal ;  but  for  avarice  and  love  of  himself, 
and  his  insatiable  covetousness,  scrapeth  and  gathereth  to- 
gether, whether  with  the  law,  or  against  the  law,  it  maketh 
no  force,  so  he  have  it.  So  this  Jonas  and  troubler  of  the 
ship  with  all  injuries  and  wrongs  rather  would  add  some- 
what where  indeed  is  too  much,  than  to  depart^  a  little 
where  as  is  nothing  at  all.  And  in  vain  glory  and  pride 
of  the  mammon  of  the  world,  they  will  condemn  and  dis- 
dain the  very  image  of  God  in  the  poor.    Against  whom 

Prov.  xiv.  speaketh  Salomon,  Prov.  xiv.  "  He  that  calumniateth  the 
poor,  abraideth  his  Creator."     Take  example  hereof  out 

John  ix.  of  the  ninth  of  John,  how  the  general  council  of  the  Pha- 
risees laid  to  the  poor  blind  man  his  blindness.  Their 
reproach  of  God's  work  was  reprehended ;  and  the  insa- 
tiable and  covetous  hearts  of  them  be  condemned  by  Esay 

isai.  V.  the  prophet,  chapter  v. :  "  Cursed  be  ye  that  join  house  to 
house,  and  field  to  field."  The  experience  of  this  curse 
had  Ahab,  that  ungodly  took  from  Naboth  his  vineyard. 
If  these  men  that  hath  enough  will  not  move  the  ship  of 
your  highness's  commonwealth,  let  them  leave  their  raven- 
ing, and  give  God  thanks  for  that  they  have,  and  to  their 
ability  help,  and  not  rob  the  poor.  The  other  sort  of 
noble  or  gentlemen,  that  make  more  expense  than  their 
revenues  and  condition  is  able  to  bear,  and  liveth  by  dice, 
cards,  whoredom,  fraud,  guile,  deceit,  theft,  and  such  like ; 
indifferent  examination,  not  only  by  God's  laws,  but  also 
by  man's  laws,  will  prove  them  not  only  to  be  disobedient 
Jonas,  but  also  stark  thieves. 

The  lawyers,  if  they  be  examined  diligently,  there  will 
['  Depart :  part  with,  give.] 


m.] 


SKRMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


467 


be  so  many  found  among  them  to  unquiet  the  ship  of  this 
commonwealth,  that  few  or  none  will  be  found  clear.  And 
among  the  lawyers  I  put  judges  and  justices :  the  one  for 
gain  careth  not  to  defend  the  falsest  cause  and  most  un- 
just matter  that  can  be  brought  unto  him,  and  promiseth, 
like  a  thief,  the  cause  to  be  good,  till  he  have  emptied 
his  poor  client's  purse.  Then  washeth  he  his  hands  with 
as  much  foul  honesty  as  he  can,  and  referreth  the  doubt- 
ful cause,  above  his  learning,  to  the  ignorant  men  of  the 
shire,  to  be  judged  at  home,  like  a  fool,  where  as  his  purse 
can  no  longer  cause  his  prattler  and  ignorant  lawyer  to 
keep  his  cause  aloof  and  out  of  the  shire.  And  indeed 
such  a  subject  as  cannot  find  in  his  heart,  after  God's  laws, 
to  end  his  contention  without  strife  by  the  arbitrement 
of  those  that  be  his  neighbours,  is  worthy  to  find  such  a 
Jonas  as  will  never  leave  blowing  at  his  purse,  till  he  have 
unladed  it  even  to  the  bottom,  and  have  caused  him  to 
spend  as  much  in  recovery  of  twenty  shillings  by  lease,  as 
he  might  have  purchased  twenty  shillings  in  fee  simple.  I 
damn  not  the  law,  that  is  good  ;  but  these  thieves  that 
abuse  the  law :  for  their  doings  is  nothing  but  guile  and 
deceit,  and  a  noble  kind  of  thievery.  Against  the  which 
speaketh  Zachary  in  his  fifth  chapter ;  and  God,  Exod.  xx.  zecii.  v. 
Deut.  V. :  "  Thou  shall  commit  no  theft "  Thou  shalt  give  Deiit.'v. 
no  false  testimony  against  thy  neighbour."  These  Jonases 
doth  not  only  give  false  testimony,  but  also  for  lucre  de- 
fendeth  the  same ;  and  not  for  a  day,  but  for  a  year,  and 
years :  the  more  shame  it  is  to  be  suffered.  The  justices 
be  also  Jonas ;  for  they  receive  rewards  and  bribes,  which 
blindeth  the  eyes,  Deut.  xvi.,  and  maketh  them  to  corrupt  Deut.  xvi. 
justice,  to  their  eternal  damnation  if  they  amend  not. 
Against  whom  speaketh  Salomon,  Prov.  xvii. :  "  He  that  Prov.  xrii. 
quitteth  the  evil  doer,  and  condemneth  the  innocent,  be 
both  execrable  and  damned  before  God." 

Among  the  common  people  ye  shall  also  find  many 
Jonases;  but  that  we  may  the  better  espy  them  out,  we  will 
divide  them  into  the  rustics,  or  people  of  the  country,  and 
into  the  citizens.  All  and  every  country  or  husbandman 
that  liveth  not  of  his  labour,  and  giveth  himself  to  idle- 
ness, and  so  movetli  sedition  and  treason  against  their  law- 
ful king  and  magistrate ;  or  privily  in  their  conventicles  and 

30—2 


468  SERMONS   UPON    JONAS.  [sERM. 

assemblies  speak  evil,  curse  or  provoke  any  thing  against 
their  magistrates,  they  can  nor  -will  learn  neither  to  know 
Ood,  neither  to  obey  their  prince ;  these  be  those  among 
this  sort  of  people  that  be  Jonases,  and  troubleth  the  state 
of  this  realm.  Among  the  citizens  be  a  great  number  that 
trouble  the  ship  also,  as  adulterous  unpunished,  the  fraud 
and  guile  of  the  merchandise,  idleness  the  mother  of  all 
mischief,  theft,  murder,  blasphemous  oaths,  conspiracy,  and 
treason,  with  open  slander  and  rebuke  of  God's  most  holy 
word.  These  things  and  such  like  tosseth  the  poor  ship, 
that  hardly  she  can  sail  above  the  water  ;  and  so  displeaseth 
the  majesty  of  God,  that  he  will  never  cease  from  sending  of 
tempests,  till  those  Jonases  be  amended,  or  cast  into  the  sea. 

But  before  I  come  to  Jonas'  answer  upon  his  examina- 
tion, because  I  know  this  saying  to  be  true,  Obsequium 
amicos,  Veritas  odium  parit,  that  is,  "  flattery  obtaineth 
friendship,  and  the  truth  displeasure lest  any  man  should 
for  my  truth  and  liberty  be  offended,  I  will  briefly  purge 
myself.  Doubtless  it  were  pleasure  to  me  to  speak  nothing 
at  all,  in  case  the  necessity  of  my  vocation,  the  danger 
of  these  Jonases,  and  the  salvation  of  this  ship  of  our 
commonwealth  forced  me  not  thereunto.  As  touching  my- 
self, I  am  called  unto  this  place  to  cry :  in  case  I  do 
not,  I  know  all  the  blood  of  these  Jonases  shall  be  re- 
quired at  my  hand ;  which  God  forbid  !  It  were  better 
I  should  call  so  hard  as  heaven  and  earth  might  sound 
again  of  my  voice. 

The  salvation  of  these  wicked  Jonases  moveth  also  to 
speak  in  this  matter,  and  with  the  trump  of  God's  word 
to  wake  them  out  of  their  sleep,  lest  they  slumber  and 
rest  so  long  in  their  wickedness,  that  they  go  sleeping  to 
eternal  damnation.  These  therefore  I  call  upon  for  the 
amendment  of  their  knowledge  and  life. 

Farther,  the  love  I  bear  unto  the  king's  majesty  and 
to  this  commonwealth  of  England  compelleth  me  to  speak ; 
seeing  1  see  the  angry  hand  of  God  already  stretched  forth 
to  punish  us,  if  we  awake  not  out  of  sin.  Last  of  all, 
be  it  known  to  all  men,  that  I  speak  in  the  condemna- 
tion of  the  evil,  and  commendation  of  the  good.  And  that 
all  men  may  easily  find  out  and  know,  among  these  four 
sorts  of  people,  the  Jonases  and  troublers  of  this  ship 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


469 


and  commonwealth  of  England,  I  give  you  one  most  true 
and  general  rule,  which  is  this :  whosoever,  or  of  whatso- 
ever degree  he  be,  that  is,  or  sheweth  himself  to  be, 
offended  with  this  my  free  and  indifferent  speaking  of  God's 
word,  he  or  they,  be  they  what  they  may',  are  the  very 
Jonases  and  troublers  of  this  commonwealth.  And  these 
men  love  more  darkness  than  light,  more  to  trouble  the 
ship  than  to  rest  her.  But  now  to  the  text  wherein  is 
contained  Jonas'  answer  upon  his  examination. 

He  answered  them  :  I  am  an  Hebrew,  and  fear  the 
Lord  God  of  heaven,  that  made  the  sea  and 
the  dry  land. 

When  as  Jonas  perceived  he  could  no  longer  cloak 
and  hide  his  offence,  he  doth  not  only  confess  his  fault, 
but  also  maketh  them  privy  and  uttereth  his  faith  and 
religion  he  hath  in  God  unto  them.  In  that  he  confesseth 
his  fault,  we  learn  that  the  first  gree^  and  proceeding  to 
mercy  and  remission,  is  the  knowledge  of  the  sin,  which 
is  a  thing  most  difficile  and  hard  to  the  flesh,  to  say,  I 
have  offended  the  Lord,  and  will  amend ;  for  either  we 
deny  our  sin  with  Cain,  or  extenuate  and  excuse  it  with 
Saul.  Would  to  God  our  Jonases  would  acknowledge  their 
faults,  and  not  excuse  it  nor  extenuate  it !  It  is  but  a 
mockery  once  in  a  year  to  acknowledge  and  murmur  our 
faults  in  the  priest's  ear ;  but  we  should  from  the  heart 
repent  the  neglecting  of  our  bounden  duties,  and  unfeign- 
edly  amend  it,  which  is  not  only  painful  to  the  flesh,  but 
also  grateful  unto  God.  I  exhort  all  men  therefore  that 
knoweth  themselves  guilty — as  indeed  there  is  none  of  us  of 
all  parts  innocent — we  say  with  David :  "  We  have  offended 
the  Lord."  Yet  is  not  this  enough,  to  confess  our  faults ; 
but  therewithal  we  must  make  a  confession  of  our  faith  : 
but  not  such  a  confession  as  most  men  use,  but  such  as 
may  most  be  like  unto  Jonas'  And  let  them  embrace 
only  Christ  and  his  doctrine,  and  worship  God  in  spirit 
and  verity,  as  his  word  tpacheth.  This  I  mean :  let  the 
priests  teach  according  to  the  word  of  God,  the  noblemen 
govern  and  rule  thereby,  the  lawyers  conform  their  law  to 

[}  What  they  be  may,  in  the  old  editions.]        Gree  :  degree,  step.] 


470 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


God's  law,  and  such  laws  as  be  contrary  to  God's  laws 
abrogate  and  abolish.  The  people  should  hear  the  word 
of  God,  give  faith  unto  it,  and  follow  it.  And  so  say 
every  man  of  us  with  Jonas :  "  T  am  an  Hebrew,"  that 
is  to  say,  "I  am  a  christian  man,  and  will  from  hence- 
forth forsake  my  sin,  that  disquieteth  not  only  mine  own 
conscience,  but  also  the  whole  commonwealth."  It  foUoweth 
how  the  mariners  took  Jonas'  answer. 

Then  were  the  men  exceedingly  afraid,  and  said  unto 
him.  Why  didst  thou  so  ?  (for  they  knew  that 
he  was  fled  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  because 
he  had  told  thera),  and  said  moreover  unto  him, 
What  shall  we  do  unto  thee,  that  the  sea  may 
cease  from  troubling  of  us  ?  For  the  sea  wrought, 
and  was  troublous. 

In  these  mariners  we  see  three  things  ;  fear,  rebuke 
of  disobedience,  and  taking  of  counsel  how  to  save  the 
ship.  This  fear,  it  is  most  like,  sprang  of  this  :  that  the 
mariners  had  heard  Jonas  say,  how  he  was  commanded 
by  God  to  preach  unto  the  Ninivites  their  destruction, 
and  the  city's  also,  for  their  sin.  The  mariners,  knowing 
themselves  guilty  of  the  same,  themselves  being  both  idola- 
ters, infidels,  and  of  corrupt  condition  and  living,  feared 
the  like  punishment.  Who  is  it,  that  will  not  tremble  at 
the  angry  countenance  of  God's  displeasure  ?  But  now-a- 
days  our  stony  and  indurate  hearts  be  past  all  fear,  and 
turneth  the  threatenings  of  God  to  a  laughter,  saying  in 
their  hearts,  There  is  no  God. 

That  these  gentilish  mariners  rebuke  Jonas  of  disobe- 
dience, it  declareth  the  fault  to  be  so  great  when  any 
man  leaveth  his  vocation,  and  specially  the  vocation  of 
preaching,  that  it  meriteth  and  is  worthy  to  be  rebuked 
of  all  men.  But  such  is  now  the  proud  minds  of  bishops 
and  pastors,  that  it  will  suffer  no  rebuke  or  christian 
admonition ;  but  will  be  lauded  and  praised,  yea,  in  evil 
doing  and  omission  of  their  vocation,  as  it  is  to  be  seen  in 
that  horrible  and  wicked  decree  :  Si  papa  ^     And  not  only 

['  Si  papa  suae  et  fraternas  salutis  iiegligens,  deprelienditur  iniitilis, 
et  remissus  in  operiljus  suis,  et  insiiper  a  bono  taciturnus,  quod  magis 


m.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


471 


the  pope,  but  also  every  man  that  sleepeth  and  delighteth 
in  his  sin,  refuseth  all  manner  of  admonitions.  If  Jonas 
took  well  at  worth  the  reprehension  of  the  heathen,  it  is 
more  than  a  shame  one  Christian  to  forsake  the  admonition 
of  another. 

In  that  they  ask  counsel  of  Jonas  how  to  save  the  ship, 
they  declare  a  singular  humanity  towards  a  stranger ;  that 
although  by  the  means  of  him  they  stood  in  danger  both  of 
life  and  goods,  yet  would  they  leave  no  means  they  could  to 
save  him,  though  it  were  with  their  great  loss  and  danger. 

Thus  we  be  bound  to  do  as  occasion  shall  serve ;  not 
cruelly  without  discretion  to  revenge,  but  charitably  with 
patience  to  bear  with  the  weak,  until  such  time  as  the 
law  require th  execution  of  the  evil.  Now  folio weth  the 
answer  of  Jonas  wherewithal  he  condemneth  himself,  as  it 
is  plain  in  the  text,  and  it^  is  the  fourth  danger  he  fell  into. 

Take  me  and  cast  me  into  the  sea ;  so  shall  it  let 
you  be  in  rest  :  for  I  wot  it  is  for  my  sake  that 
this  great  tempest  is  come  upon  you. 

In  this  answer  we  learn  and  know,  what  is  the  nature 
and  condition  of  every  penitent  man,  to  judge  himself  worthy 
pain  and  punishment.  And  that  is  so  true,  in  case  we 
judge  not  so  of  ourselves,  and  say,  "  Heretofore  I  was 
accounted  and  took  myself  for  a  christian  man,  but  indeed 
I  was  the  contrary;  wherefore  I  am  worthy  of  punishment;" 
we  be  but  hypocrites  and  dissemblers.  Thus  should  the 
nobleman  say,  the  lawyer,  the  priest,  and  the  common  sort 
of  men,  as  David  teacheth.  2  Sam.  xxiv.  When  he  saw  2  sam.  xxiv. 
the  commonwealth  punished,  and  in  danger  of  destruction 
for  his  oifence,  he  said  unto  the  Lord,  as  Jonas  did  :  "I 
have  sinned,  I  have  done  evil ;  what  hath  these  sheep  of- 

officit  sibi  et  omnibus;  nihilominus  innumerabiles  populos  catervatim 
secum  ducit,  primo  mancipio  Gehennse,  cum  ipso  plagis  multis  in 
aetemum  vapulaturus ;  hujus  culpas  istic  redarguere  prsesumit  mor- 
talium  nuUus:  quia  cunctos  ipse  judicaturus,  a  nemine  est  judicandus, 
nisi  deprehendatur  a  fide  devius :  pro  cujus  perpetuo  statu  universitas 
fidelium  tanto  instantius  orat,  quanto  suam  salutem  post  Deum  ex 
illius  incolumitate  animadvertit  propensius  pendere.  Corpus  Juris  Can. 
Dec.  1.  Par.  Dist.  xl.  c.  vi.] 
[■■'  It,  omitted  in  D.  l.]] 


472 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


fended?  let  thine  ire  and  displeasure  be  against  me  and 
my  father's  house." 

But,  O  my  gracious  lord  and  king,  such  penitent  and 
sorrowful  Jonases  be  far  out  of  your  realm;  for  none  will 
confess  their  faults.  They  will  rather  say.  Let  the  Bible 
in  English,  and  the  preacher  of  God's  word,  be  cast  into 
the  sea,  and  so  shall  follow  quietness,  for  it  was  never  well 
sith  preaching  began.  But  these  be,  most  gracious  king 
and  honourable  councillors,  Caiphas'  fellows,  that  said,  "  Ye 
johnxi.     understand  not."    John  xi.  chapter.     But  what  followed? 

It  happened  unto  the  wicked  as  he  feared.  They  lost  their 
commonwealth,  as  their  fathers  did  before,  and  came  into 
bondage  both  of  body  and  soul. 

Now  foUoweth  the  fifth  danger  that  Jonas  fell  into. 
The  mariners  cannot  save  him,  as  the  text  saith. 

Nevertheless  the  men  assayed  with  rowing  to  bring  the 
ship  to  land :  but  it  would  not  be  ;  because  the 
sea  wrought  so,  and  was  so  troublous  against  them. 

In  these  mariners  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth  us  two 
things :  the  one,  how  they  would  have  saved  the  troubler 
of  the  ship  ;  the  other,  that  they  could  not  save  him.  In 
the  first  is  noted  the  nature  and  condition  of  every  godly 
magistrate  that  would,  if  God  would,  and  the  law,  all  men 
to  be  saved :  as  Moses  did  pray  for  the  people  that  rebelled, 
for  Aaron  and  Mary\  his  brother  and  sister.  Josua  called 
disobedient  Ahab"  son.  Here  is  the  partial  and  corrupt 
judgment  of  kings,  magistrates,  judges,  and  such  as  bear 
office  in  the  commonwealth,  horribly  condemned,  that  serve 
not  the  law,  but  master  the  law ;  and  for  lucre  or  affection 
damneth  him  the  law  quitteth,  and  saveth  him  the  law  con- 

Prov.  xvii.    demneth,  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  Salomon.     Prov.  xvii. 

Lukexxii".   Dcut.  xix.  Luke  xxii.  Rom.  xiii.  James  iv. 

James''iv.'         That  they  could  not  save  Jonas,  we  learn  that  no  com- 
monwealth can  be  quieted  except  the   transgressors  be 

Josh.  vii.     punished.  Josh.  vii.   God  giveth  no  victory  to  the  children  of 
Israel,  till  Ahab^  be  punished.     The  plague  ceased  not  from 

Num.  XXV.   the  Israelites,  till  Phinees  had  slain  the  adulterous.  Num.  xxv. 

['  Mary  :  Miriam.]       p  Ahab  :  Achan.] 


in.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


473 


And  the  Lord  saith,  in  Ezechiel  xxxiii.  "  Ye  lift  up  your  Ezek.xxxiii. 
eyes  to  your  idols,  and  shed  blood ;  and  think  ye,  ye  shall 
possess  this  land  ?  Ye  pollute  each  another's  wife,  and 
should  ye  inhabit  this  land  f  Hitherunto  alludeth  Saint  Paul, 
Bph.  V.  "  Let  no  man  seduce  you  with  profane  words  ;  for  Eph.  v. 
these  things  cometh  the  ire  of  God  upon  the  children  of 
distrust." 

Generally,  we  learn  that  there  is  no  more  pestiferous 
hurt  can  come  unto  a  commonwealth,  than  over  much  lenity 
and  preposterous  pity,  to  suffer  the  laws  of  a  realm  to  be 
broken  and  neglected,  without  punishment  of  the  trans- 
gressor :  as  it  shall  be  more  declared  hereafter.  Now  to 
the  text,  which  containeth  the  prayer  of  the  shipmen  in 
this  wise. 

Wherefore  they  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  O 
Lord,  let  us  not  perish  for  this  man's  death, 
neither  lay  thou  innocent  blood  to  our  charge  :  for 
thou,  O  Lord,  hast  done  even  as  thy  pleasure  was. 

Of  this  oration,  first,  we  learn  that  the  mariners  were 
converted  unto  God  by  the  preaching  of  one  Jonas.  Be- 
fore each  man  called  upon  a  sundry  God,  now  all  call 
upon  one  God.  They  excuse  not  their  old  idololatry  for 
their  old  custom's  sake,  nor  yet  for  the  authority  of  their 
forefathers ;  but  simply  they  embrace  the  truth.  The  same 
should  we  follow,  and  for  our  doctrine  it  is  written,  as  saith 
Saint  Paul,  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans :  "  Whatsoever  things  are  written,  are  written  for  our 
learning ;  that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the 
scriptures,  should  have  hope."  Casting  away  all  idololatry 
and  false  honourings  of  God,  we  should,  in  Christ,  embrace 
and  receive  the  everlasting  God  and  his  infallible  word; 
seeing  we  be  not  moved  thereunto  by  one  Jonas,  but  by 
many ;  by  king,  by  council,  and  many  other  men  of  God. 

The  second  thing  we  learn  out  of  this  prayer  is,  how 
they  desire  God  not  to  impute  unto  them  the  death  of 
Jonas,  which  had  not  hurt  them,  but  himself  in  disobeying 
the  Lord's  commandment :  wherein  we  may  see  how  the 
gentiles  and  ethnicks  abhorred  murder  and  manslaughter, 


474 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


and  accounted  it  horrible  and  a  thing  damned  by  the  law 
of  nature. 

They  were  in  the  sea,  and  no  man  could  have  accused 
them  of  murder ;  yet  perceived  they  well,  that  the  eyes  of 
God  could  mark  them  wheresoever  they  were,  and  would 
punish  the  fact.  And  wisely  they  judged  :  for  so  teacheth 
us  all  the  scripture  of  God,  as  it  shall  now  appear ;  for 
I  will  somewhat  touch  this  horrible  crime  of  murder  more 
at  large.  Murder  is  commit  two  manner  of  ways,  by 
chance  and  ignorantly,  or  of  malice  and  wittingly.  Igno- 
rantly,  when  against  his  will,  doing  and  meaning  nothing 
less  than  murder,  against  his  will  killeth.  Such  a  mur- 
derer by  the  law  should  not  die;  for  God  absolveth  and 
quitteth  him,  and  prepared  in  the  commonwealth  of  the 
Israelites  sanctuaries  and  refuges  for  them,  whither  as  they 

Exod.  xxi.   might  flee  for  their  safeguard,  Exod.  xxi.  Numb.  xxxv.  Josh. 

Josh.  XX.  XX.,  lest  their  blood  should  be  shed  again.  He  that  of 
malice  and  willingly  killeth  a  man,  should  noways  be  saved ; 

Exod.  xxi.   for  unto  such  the  Lord  commandeth  death  again.  Exod.  xxi. 

Lev.xxiv.    Levit.  xxiv. 

And  also  in  the  time  of  the  law  of  nature  this  was 

Gen.  ix.  the  commandment  of  God  for  murder,  Gen.  ix.  "  He  that 
sheddeth  a  man's  blood,  shall  have  his  blood  shed  again 

Matt.  xxvi.  and  so  saith  Christ :  Matt.  xxvi.  "  He  that  striketh  with 
the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword."  This  sin  is  so 
horrible,  that  no  indulgence  or  pardon  should  pity  the 
offence,  nor  pardon  the  fault ;  but  the  murderer,  in  case 
he  fled  to  the  high  altar,  he  should  be  fet '  forth :  as  ye 
may  see  the  experience  in  Joab  at  the  commandment  of 

1  Kings  ii.   Salomou :    3  Regum  ii.    and  read  Num.  xxxv.     If  the 

Num.  XXXV.  magistrate  dispense,  either  for  fear  of  him  that  should 
suffer  execution,  or  for  any  profit  or  gain,  and  punish  it 
not,  what  doth  he  other  than  provoke  the  ire  of  God  against 
himself  and  the  whole  realm?  for  the  Lord  saith,  he  will 
not  dwell  in  the  earth  till  it  be  purged  with  the  blood  of 

Num.  xxxv.  him  that  shed  the  blood,  Num.  xxxv.  Let  all  men  there- 
fore in  the  commonwealth  know  and  fear  this  doctrine  of 

Rom.  xiii.  Paul :  Rom.  xiii.  "  The  magistrate  beareth  not  a  sword  in 
vain."  Let  the  magistrate  take  heed  of  two  things :  first, 
that  under  the  pretext  and  cloak  of  the  law,  he  serve  not 

['  Fet:  H'tched.] 


,11.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


475 


his  affection  or  gain,  nor  punish  the  innocent.      In  this 

offended  the  kings  and  magistrates  of  the  Israehtes,  that 

for  the  maintenance  of  their  superstition,  false  religion, 

and  corrupt  manners,  killed  and  put  to  death  the  prophets 

and  the  apostles.    So  Jesabel  caused  Naboth  to  be  slain,  i  Kings  xxi. 

3  Regu.  xxi.     The  second,  let  the  magistrate  take  heed 

he  absolve  not  him  that  God  condemneth,  and  commandeth 

to  be  punished,  for  gain,  affection,  good  intention,  or  else 

for  any  foolish  and  preposterous  pity :  for  so  doing  Saul 

lost  his  kingdom  :  1  Sam.  xv.  read  the  place.    And  Ahab,  i  sam.  w. 

the  king  of  Israel,  for  dimissing  of  Bennaud,  God  said, 

"  Thy  soul  shall  be  for  his  soul."  3  Regum,  fourteen.      i  ^'"s^  xiv. 

Even  as  here  is  occasion  to  admonish  of  justice  towards 
evil-doers,  so  it  is  to  speak  of  war,  and  how  it  may  be 
used  lawfully  by  magistrates.  The  magistrate  offendeth 
when  he  beginneth  or  continueth  any  unjust  battle,  or  of 
affection  punisheth  any  innocent  person  :  so  J osias  offended, 
although  he  was  a  good  man,  in  making  war  with  the 
Egyptians,  where  as  honest  conditions  of  peace  was  offered, 
and  was  slain  for  his  labour.  The  magistrate,  of  the 
other  part,  may  offend,  if  he,  in  case  he  see  his  subjects 
oppressed,  and  will  not  defend  them,  as  Abraham  did  his 
nephew  Loth,  and  other.  Again,  this  battle  he  is  daily 
bound  unto, — to  war  against  vice,  and  to  punish  sin ;  and 
in  case  he  see  any  rebellion  to  resist  the  just  execution  of 
justice,  not  to  fear;  for  God  will  help  his  proceedings. 
Deut.  xiii.  And  it  may  be  seen,  that  God  will  favour  the  x">- 
magistrate  that  fighteth  against  his  own  brother,  if  it  be  to 
amend  vice  and  to  kill  sin ;  for  in  manner  tlie  whole  tribe  of 
Benjamin  was  destroyed  for  the  defence  of  adultery.  Fur- 
ther, a  magistrate  fighteth  justly,  when  he  resisteth  unjust 
force,  whether  it  be  of  foreign  enemies,  or  of  his  own 
rebellious  subjects.  Of  such  laws  as  should  be  kept  in 
the  time  of  war  it  is  written,  Deut.  xx.  xxiii.  Luke  iii.,  oeut.  xx. 
Our  warriors  have  made  of  war  a  means  and  way  to  all " 
robbery  and  spoil.  The  captain  by  his  faith  is  bound  to 
have  as  many  as  his  allowance  chargeth  him  withal :  but 
like  a  thief,  he  deceiveth  the  king  both  of  his  number 
of  men,  and  robbeth  him  of  his  goods  ;  and,  for  lack  of 
true  payment  to  the  half  number  that  he  is  appointed 
unto,  he  wearieth  the  good  will  of  the  poor  soldiers,  that  Luke  iii. 


476 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


extreme  poverty,  with  sickness,  for  lack  of  payment  of 
their  wages,  causeth  them  to  pass  neither  of  the  king, 
neither  of  the  commonwealth. 

And  as  these  unjust  and  already  damned  captains, 
(except  they  repent,)  with  receivers,  paymasters,  victuallers, 
and  other,  destroy  not  only  the  law  and  majesty  of  arras, 
but  also  deceive  the  king,  by  piUing  and  polling'  the  poor 
and  needy  soldiers ;  so  decay  and  undo  they  the  whole  com- 
monweal ;  for  they  come  to  serve  the  commonwealth  of 
little  or  no  value  at  all:  in  serving  of  the  commonwealth 
they  enrich  themselves  unjustly,  to  the  utter  impoverishing 
and  beggaring  both  of  the  commonwealth  and  the  heads 
thereof. 

And  well  both  magistrate  and  soldier  meriteth  the  same  : 
for  the  one  trusteth  he  knoweth  not  whom,  other  than 
upon  report ;  the  other  prepareth  himself  to  the  war  for 
defence  of  his  country  with  whoredom,  theft,  and  all  abo- 
mination ;  and  by  false  and  thievish  means  bringeth  more 
to  the  war  than  is  his  own.  No  marvel  then,  though  God 
set  such  a  thief  over  him  as  will  give  him  less  than  is 
his  due.  True  men  were  wont  to  go  to  battle,  and  such 
as  prepared  themselves  with  the  fear  of  God  to  live  and 
die  for  their  magistrate  and  country ;  now  the  verier  thief 
and  blasphemer  of  the  God  of  battle,  the  better  soldier. 
Well,  God  may  give  the  victory  to  such  blasphemers  for 
a  time;  but  doubtless  it  will  not,  nor  cannot  continue. 
Look  upon  all  the  wars  that  Moses  writeth  of  in  his  five 
books,  and  then  shall  ye  know  the  same.  Wherefore  I 
humbly  require  all  magistrates,  both  in  peace  and  war, 
to  punish  chiefly  these  two  vices,  adultery  and  blasphemy, 
in  case  they  would  have  either  victory  in  war,  or  quiet- 
ness in  peace. 

As  touching  swearing  and  blasphemy,  it  is  known  unto 
all  men  of  God,  how  the  law  condemneth  it  in  the  first 
Exod.  XX.    table  :  Exod.  xx.  Deut.  v.    "  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name 
Deut.  V.  ^j^g  Lord  in  vain ;   for  God  will  not  leave  unpunished 

such  as  abuse  his  name."  Of  an  oath,  I  think  it  there- 
fore convenient  to  speak  somewhat.  There  is  two  man- 
ner of  oaths  :  the  one  of  custom  or  of  sport ;  the  other 
serious  and  grave,  required  and  taken  before  the  magis- 
[}  Robbing  and  cheating.] 


in.]  SERMONS    UPON   JONAS.  477 

I 

trate  or  judge.  The  first  is  devilish,  damnable,  and  naught 
of  every  part,  and  forbidden  by  God  to  all  christian  men. 
The  other,  that  is  taken  for  the  glory  of  God,  the  de- 
fence of  the  truth,  or  help  of  a  man's  neighbour,  as  neces- 
sity shall  require,  is  lawful  and  godly.  But  in  this  lawful 
oath  a  man  may  offend  two  manner  of  ways :  first,  if 
his  heart  and  mind  be  not  according  to  his  words,  but 
that  his  mouth  speaketh  one  thing,  and  the  heart  thinketh 
another  thing ;  the  second,  if  he  that  sweareth  swear  by 
any  creatures.    Both  these  be  blasphemous  before  God. 

And  in  case  it  be  damnable  in  a  naughty  matter  to 
swear  by  creatures,  is  it  not  the  same,  trow  ye,  daily 
and  foolishly,  of  custom,  to  swear  by  a  man's  hand,  his 
head,  by  the  mass,  and  such  like?  The  more  vile  the 
thing  is  we  swear  by,  the  more  is  the  oath  detestable 
before  God.  Wherefore,  in  things  not  necessary  and  re- 
quired lawfully,  to  swear  by  any  thing  is  sin.  In  weighty 
matters,  to  swear  by  any  thing  except  by  God  is  no  less 
offence. 

That  may  we  see  four  manner  of  ways :  by  reason  ; 
the  holy  scripture ;  examples ;  and  the  canon  law.  By 
reason,  thus :  To  swear  is  to  protest  and  promise  the 
thing  we  swear  to  be  true  before  him  that  knoweth  the 
thoughts  and  cogitations  of  the  heart:  that  knoweth  only 
and  solely  God :  therefore  is  it  blasphemy  to  swear  or  at- 
tribute the  same  to  any  creature,  as  they  do  that  sweareth 
by  creatures. 

Again,  every  oath  hath  annexed  with  it  an  invocation 
and  execration :  an  execration,  that  he  by  whom  we  swear 
may  punish  and  curse  us  if  we  swear  false ;  an  invoca- 
tion, that  he  by  whom  we  swear  would  help  us  if  we 
swear  true.  But  only  God  can  save  and  lose  :  reason  would 
then  him  only  to  be  sworn  by. 

The  authority  of  the  scripture.  This  also  is  double : 
the  one  teacheth  by  whom  we  should  swear,  the  other  by 
whom  we  should  not  swear:  that  is,  by  God  and  by  no 
creatures.  Deut.  vi.  x.  "  Thou  shalt  fear  the  Lord  thy  oeut.  vi.  x. 
God  and  worship  him,  and  also  swear  by  his  name." 
Esay  xlv.  "  Unto  me  shall  every  knee  bow,  and  every  isai.xiv.ixv. 
tongue  swear."  In  the  Ixv.  speaking  of  the  calling  of  the 
gentiles,  he  sayeth,  "  He  that  will  swear  shall  swear  by  the 


478  SERMONS    UPON    JONAS.  [^SERiM. 

Jer.xii.  true  God."  And  Jer.  xii.  "They  shall  swear,  The  Lord 
liveth." 

That  no  man  should  swear  by  creatures,  ye  have  Exod. 
xxiii.  "  Ye  shall  not  think  upon  the  name  of  strange 
gods;    neither  shall   it  be  heard  out  of  your  mouths," 

Josh,  xxiii.  Josue  xxiii.,  the  people  be  admonished  not  to  swear  by 
the  names  of  the  gods  that  the  people  used,  whither  they 

Jer.  V.  were  going,  Hierem.  v.  it  is  said  that  the  people  of- 
fended, because  they  sweared  by  the  gods  that  were 
not  God.  And  the  people  think  it  is  no  sin  to  annex 
a  creature  with  God :    hear  what  Sophony '  the  prophet 

zeph.  i.  saith,  chap,  i,  "  I  will,  saith  the  Lord,  destroy  them  that 
worship  and  swear  by  Malchon,"  that  is  to  say,  by  their 
patron.  Where  as  the  prophet  meaneth,  they  that  swear 
by  God  and  creatures  matcheth  and  setteth  God  and  the 
devil  in  one  chair  and  seat. 

Examples,  out  of  the  scriptures :  "  Abraham  sware  by 
the  most  high  God."  "  God  sweareth  by  himself,"  Poly- 
carpus  would  rather  suffer  the  flames  of  fire,  than  to  swear 
by  Caesar's  fortune.    Euseb.  Libro  iv.  chap.  xv. 

The  canon  law"     Causa  xxii.  Q.  i.  Clericum  per  crea- 
turas,  and,  Et  si  quis  per  creaturas,  and.  Si  aliqua  causa, 
also,  Movet  te  iterum ;  thus  the  laws  begin :  and  the  gloss  ^ 
upon  the  same  places  requireth  us  to  swear  only  by  God, 
I  have  tarried  the  longer  in  this  matter,  because  I 

Sophony :  Zephaniah.] 

Clericum  per  creaturas  jurantem  acerrime  esse   objurgandum : 
si  perstiterit  in  vitio^  excommunicandum. 

Si  quis  per  capillum  Dei  vel  caput  juraverit,  vel  alio  mode  blas- 
phemia  contra  Deum  usus  fuerit ;  si  in  ecclesiastico  ordine,  deponatur  ; 
si  laicus,  anathematizetur.  Et  si  quis  per  creaturas  juraverit  acerrime 
castigetur,  &c. 

Si  aliqua  causa  fuerit,  modicum  videtur  facere,  qui  jurat  per 
Deum.  Qui  autem  jurat  per  evangelium,  majus  aliquid  fecisse  vide- 
tur. Quibus  similiter  dicendum  est:  stulti,  scripturse  sanctae  propter 
Deum  sunt,  non  Deus  propter  scripturas. 

Movet  te,  utrum  ejus  fide  utendum  sit,  qui  ut  eam  servet,  per 
dsemonia  juraverit.  Ubi  te  volo  prius  considerare,  utrum  si  quispiam 
per  Deos  falsos  juraverit  se  fidem  servaturum,  et  eam  non  sei'vaverit, 
non  tibi  videatur  bis  peccare.  Si  enim  &c.  Corp.  Juris  Can.  Decret. 
2  Pars,  Caus.  xxii.  Q.  i.  can.  9.  10.  11.  16.] 

P  Hie  patet  quod  non  est  licitum  jurare  per  creaturas,  &c. — Decre- 
tum  Gratiani.  Antverpii  1673.  co.  1300.] 


in.] 
» 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


479 


happened  to  see  of  late  a  certain  book  for  the  making  of 
deacons,  priests,  and  bishops,  wherein  is  required  an  oath 
by  saints ;  whereat  I  did  not  a  little  wonder'  And  how 
it  is  suffered,  or  who  is  the  author  of  that  book,  I  well 
know  not.  I  am  led  to  think  it  to  be  the  fault  of  the 
corrector  in  the  printing,  for  two  causes :  one  is,  because 
in  the  oath  for  the  bishop  is  no  mention  made  of  any 
saints ;  the  other  cause  is,  that  in  the  same  book  the 
minister  must  confess,  at  the  receiving  of  his  vocation,  that 
the  book  of  God,  the  holy  scripture,  to  be  perfect  and 
sufficient  for  the  salvation  of  man.  Yet  do  I  much  marvel 
that  in  the  same  book  it  is  appointed,  that  he  that  will 
be  admitted  to  the  ministry  of  God's  word  or  his  sacra- 
ments, must  come  in  white  vestments;  which  seemeth  to 
repugn  plainly  with  the  former  doctrine,  that  confessed  the 
^nly  word  of  God  to  be  sufficient.  And  sure  I  am,  they 
have  not  in  the  word  of  God,  that  thus  a  minister  should 
be  apparelled,  nor  yet  in  the  primitive  and  best  church. 
It  is  rather  the  habit  and  vesture  of  Aaron  and  the 
gentiles,  than  of  the  ministers  of  Christ.  Further,  where, 
and  of  whom,  and  when  have  they  learned,  that  he  that 
is  called  to  the  ministry  of  God's  word,  should  hold  the 
bread  and  chalice  in  one  hand  and  the  book  in  the 
other  hand?  Why  do  they  not  as  well  give  him  in  his 
hand  the  fount  and  the  water  ?  for  the  one  is  a  sacrament 
as  well  as  the  other.  If  the  fount  be  too  great,  take  him 
a  basin  vpith  water,  or  such  like  vessel.  But  in  this 
matter  and  in  other,  as  tolerable  things  be  to  be  borne  with 
for  the  weak's  sake  awhile,  so  I  think  it  not  meet,  before 
the  king's  majesty  and  his  most  honourable  council,  to 
halt  in  any  part,  but  to  say  the  truth ;  that  they,  know- 
ing the  same,  may  redress  it  as  soon  as  may  be,  as  my 
part  is,  and  all  other  private  persons',  to  pray  them  to  do 
the  same,  and  beseech  God  to  restore  us  to  the  primitive 
church,  which  never  yet  had  nor  shall  have  any  match 
or  like.  Before  all  things  beware  of  an  oath  by  any  crea- 
tures, except  ye  will  be  glad  to  have  God's  displeasure. 

See  the  Form  and  Manner  of  making  and  consecrating  of  arch- 
Toishops,  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons,  Grafton,  1549.  which  is  reprinted 
in  "Documents  of  the  Reign  of  King  Edward  VI.,"  by  the  Parker 
Society.    See  also  the  notes  in  Keeling's  Liturgise  Britannicse,  1842.J 


480 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


Now  followeth"  the  sixth  danger  of  Jonas  how  he  is 
cast  into  the  sea. 

So  they  took  Jonas,  and  cast  him  into  the  sea;  and 
the  sea  left  raging.  And  the  men  feared  the 
Lord  exceedingly,  doing  vsacrifices,  and  making 
vows  unto  the  Lord. 

Here  see  we  two  things :  Jonas  cast  into  the  sea,  and 
how  the  sea  left  thereupon  his  raging.  Out  of  the  first 
learneth  every  magistrate  and  king  their  office,  to  cast 
out  of  their  commonwealth  as  many  Jonases  as  they  find 
stubborn,  and  will  not  amend  their  lives.  If  Jonas  in  the 
sea  could  not  be  saved,  that  offended  but  in  neglecting 
of  his  duty,  and  yet  confessed  his  fault,  and  converted  the 
mariners,  what  may  we  think?  Is  it  possible  to  sail  or 
live  quietly  with  so  many  obstinate  Jonases  ?  Nay,  doubt- 
less. What  remedy  then  ?  Let  them  be  cast  all  into  the 
sea.  But  lest  men  should  be  too  much  offended  with 
this  severe  punishment,  as  though  I  would  all  to  be  cast 
into  the  sea,  I  will  bring  the  examination  of  the  matter 
to  the  four  sorts  of  people  that  I  spake  of  before ;  and 
so  appoint  of  every  sort  whom  the  king^s  majesty  must 
cast  into  the  sea,  or  send  to  the  gallies. 

First,  let  us  speak  of  the  bishops  and  priests.  Their 
office  was  in  the  primitive  and  first  church  to  be  preachers 
of  God's  word,  and  ministers  of  Christ's  sacraments;  not 
to  sacrifice  for  dead  nor  live,  not  to  sing  or  mass, 
or  any  such  like.  Unto  the  first  original  must  all  these 
men  (as  they  be  called)  of  the  holy  church  be  called  :  else  be 
they  no  shepherds,  but  ravening  wolves  to  devour  the  sheep 
of  God.  And  that  this  may  the  better  be  done,  your 
majesty  must  begin  with  your  chapel  and  chaplains ;  make 
them  to  serve  the  same  souls  that  laboureth  for  their 
livings.  If  your  grace  do  it  not,  ye  shall  put  your  own 
self  in  danger  of  God.  And  from  henceforth  make  your 
chaplains  men  of  the  church,  and  let  the  chapel  go. 
And  when  your  majesty  hath  done  this  yourself,  cause  all 
noblemen  of  your  realm  to  do  the  same.  Then  reform 
your  colleges  in  the  universities,  and  see  honest  men  to 


ni.j 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


481 


have  the  leading  and  oversight  of  the  youth.  Such  as  will 
amend,  let  them  tarry  still  in  their  offices ;  such  as  will 
not,  your  majesty  must  remove,  if  ever  ye  bring  the  ship 
to  quietness.  Unto  the  clerk  from  henceforth,  as  ye  will 
answer  unto  it,  give  no  benefice  or  spiritual  promotions 
to  none,  but  to  such  a  one  as  can  and  will  preach  true 
doctrine,  or  else  teach  unto  the  youth  the  catechism,  and 
help  the  people  with  some  good  counsel ;  or  else  cast  them 
all  into  the  sea,  that  is,  put  them  out  of  their  office,  and 
put  better  in  their  places.  And  beware  of  this  ungodly 
pity,  wherewith  all  men  for  the  most  part  be  very  much 
now-a-days  cumbered  withal,  which  will  for  pity  rather  let 
a  fool  or  an  evil  man  to  enjoy  his  benefice  ^  than  a  thou- 
sand souls  to  be  brought  to  knowledge :  this  in  no  pity, 
but  rather  a  cruelty  and  killing  of  the  soul.  Therefore 
if  it  should  please  the  magistrates  to  make  a  law,  that  no 
man  should  have  bishoprick,  benefice,  prebend,  or  other 
ecclesiastical  vocation  longer  than  he  used  himself  accord- 
ing to  his  vocation,  it  were  wonderful  well*. 

The  noblemen  that  buyeth  their  offices,  and  selleth 
again  the  justice  and  the  law  that  is  appointed  to  the 
office,  must  be  admonished :  in  case  they  will  not  amend, 
into  the  sea  with  them !  Put  them  out  of  their  offices, 
and  put  better  in.  These  gentlemen  that  liveth  upon  dicing, 
carding,  idleness,  or  with  other  men's  goods,  must  be  also 
admonished :  if  they  will  not  repent  altogether,  cast  them 
into  the  sea.  Foolish  and  preposterous  pity  hath  brought 
both  king  and  the  laws,  not  only  of  this  realm,  but  also 
of  God,  into  contempt;  and  daily  will  more  and  more,  if 
it  be  not  foreseen.  Now  the  laws  that  justly  should  be 
executed  upon  thieves  and  murderers  is  of  foolish  pity  dis- 
pensed withal ;  and  many  judge  it  were  better  to  save  after 
his  opinion,  than  to  damn  after  the  commandment  of  God. 
For  they  say,  "  O  he  is  a  tall  fellow,  and  can  do  the  king 
good  service;  it  were  pity  he  should  be  hanged."  But  in 
case  they  knew  or  God's  laws  or  man's  laws,  and  knew 

P  "Clerks"  who  favoured  popery  were  allowed  to  retain  their 
benefices;  patrons  also  gave  livings  to  ejected  monks,  thus  saving  the 
pensions  they  must  otherwise  have  paid.    See  Burnet  and  Strype.] 

[*  Hooper  when  translated  to  Worcester,  held  that  see  for  life, 
"provided  he  behaved  so  long  well."] 

31 

[hooper.] 


482 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS, 


what  maintaineth  best  a  commonwealth,  they  would  say, 
"  Such  a  thief  or  murderer  can  never  do  the  king's  majesty 
better  service  than  when  he  is  hanged  for  his  fault,  that 
other  men  may  fear  to  offend  the  law,  by  his  example." 
Mark  whereunto  this  preposterous  and  sinister  pity  hath 
brought  the  realm,  to  be  pestered  with  more  thieves  than 
half  Europe  beside ;  insomuch  that  a  man  cannot  travel 
surely  by  the  way  with  twenty  pound  in  his  purse,  though 
twenty  men  be  together  in  a  company  :  as  it  was  seen 
by  experience  of  late  days,  to  the  great  shame  of  all  the 
justices  of  the  country,  and  to  the  slander  of  the  whole 
law  and  the  realm. 

The  fraud,  guile,  and  covetousness  of  the  lawyers  must 
either  be  amended,  either  they  themselves  be  cast  into 
the  sea.  For  unto  this  hath  their  craft  and  filthy  lucre 
brought  the  law,  that  whereas  at  the  beginning  of  it  it 
was  a  succour  and  defence  of  the  innocent,  now  be  all  honest 
men  so  afraid  of  it,  that  they  had  rather,  yea,  and  it  were 
better  a  man  to  lose  half  his  right,  than  to  complain  and 
seek  a  remedy  at  the  law.  What  may  wise  men  think 
of  that  realm,  where  as  the  defence  and  sinews  thereof  is 
so  weakened  and  corrupted  ?  Doubtless,  nothing  but  ruin 
and  perdition. 

The  ocivity'  and  idleness,  the  impatiency  and  rebellion 
of  the  people  must  be  punished  and  .amended ;  or  else 
they  will  cast  the  ship,  the  shipmaster,  the  king  and  his 
council,  yea,  and  themselves  withal,  into  the  sea,  and  bring 
this  realm  to  a  desolation  and  utter  destruction. 

Even  thus,  as  the  king's  majesty  must  do  in  his  realm, 
so  should  every  man  do  in  his  own  household.  When  there 
cometh  poverty,  pestilence,  war,  hunger,  and  such  like, 
he  must  dihgently  search  whether  there  be  any  Jonas 
within  his  house,  that  is  to  say,  any  idle  and  unoccupied 
men,  any  thieves,  adulterers,  swearers,  and  such  like ;  and 
the  same  to  be  amended  or  cast  out  of  the  house.  Hereof 
your  majesty  must  also  take  heed,  that  ye  know  the  faith 
and  conversation  of  your  family ;  that  whosoever  of  wit 
and  knowledge  enter  your  grace's  court,  may  see  the  majesty 
of  a  godly  house,  and  perceive  by  the  order  of  your  family 
that  God  dwelleth  in  the  court  and  realm.    But,  (the  more 

['  Ocivity:  sloth.] 


III.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


483 


to  be  pitied!)  it  is  so  now,  that  whosoever  enter  and  mark 
the  conditions  of  many  men  in  the  court,  he  shall  find 
in  the  most  part  of  the  house  hangings  of  God's  wounds, 
his  flesh  and  his  blood,  with  such  blasphemous  oaths  as 
the  devil  himself,  if  he  were  incarnate,  would  tremble  to 
speak.  And  great  wonder  it  is  there  falleth  not  fire  from 
heaven  to  burn  them,  and  the  house  they  tarry  in.  Like- 
wise, whereas  God's  laws  forbiddeth  dice  and  cards,  and 
also  the  common  statutes  of  this  realm,  (the  more  shame 
it  is,)  it  is  used  daily  and  hourly  in  the  king's  majesty's 
house;  whereas  not  only  the  majesty  of  God  is  offended, 
but  many  an  honest  man  undone  in  the  year.  That  dice- 
house  must  be  cast  into  the  sea :  if  it  be  not,  God  will 
cast  the  maintainers  thereof  at  length  into  hell.  What 
and  if  all  men  follow  this  godly  counsel  of  Jonas ;  what 
will  follow  ?    This  that  is  in  the  text : 

The  sea  shall  leave  his  raging. 

As  long  as  Jonas  was  in  the  ship,  there  was  no  quiet- 
ness ;  now,  being  in  the  sea,  all  is  at  peace :  so  shall  it 
be  with  us,  if  we  amend,  and  cease  from  evil  doings,  as  it 
is  written,  Hieremy  ii.  vi.  vii.    And  this  is  easy  to  be  Jer.  ii.  vi. 
proved  by  example,  that  no  commonwealth  can  be  paci- 
fied, except  evil  doers  be  punished.    2  Par.  xvii.,  Josaphat,  2  chron. 
before  he  could  bring  his  commonwealth  to  any  good  point, 
restored  good  judges  to  the  civil  state  of  his  realm,  and 
true  doctors  to  the  ecclesiastical  state  of  his  realm,  chap.  2  chron. 
xix.    The  same  may  we  see  in  David,  2  Sam.  viii.  2  Par.  2  ciiron. 
xxii.  xxiii.    So  did  Artaxerces,  that  sent  Esdras  to  theECTavUi. 
Jews,  Esdras  viii. 

The  same  order  took  Cambyses^  Cyrus's  son,  though 
he  was  an  idle  man.  He  caused  the  skin  of  a  corrupt 
judge  to  be  pulled  over  his  head,  and  to  be  nailed  in  the 
place  of  judgment,  to  put  other  men  in  fear  how  they 
corrupted  justice.  For  the  keeping  of  all  men  in  an  order, 
it  were  well  if  men  would  think  upon  the  law  of  the 

P  Jam  Cambyses  inusitatae  severitatis,  qui  mali  cujusdam  judicis 
ex  corpore  pellem  detractam  sellas  intendi,  in  eaque  filium  ejus  ju- 
dicaturum  considere  jussit.  Ceterum  et  rex  et  barbarus  atroci  ac 
nova  poena  judicis^  ne  quis  postea  corrumpi  judex  posset,  providit. 
Valer.  Max.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  iii.  Sect.  8.  Lugd.  Bat.  1661,  p.  550.] 

31 — 2 


484  SERMONS    UPON   JONAS.  [sERM. 

Corinthes,  which  men  may  read  in  the  adages  of  Eras- 
mus^ ;  (the  adage  is  Proterviam  fecit :)  where  as  every 
man  was  bound  to  give  account  how  he  Hved,  and  main- 
tained himself.    And  the  same  law  had  Solon^  at  Athens. 

When  the  magistrate  by  negligence  or  preposterous 
pity  will  not  punish  for  sin,  then  God  striketh ;  as  ye  may 
see  by  the  universal  flood,  by  the  fire  in  Sodom  and  Go- 
morre.  Give  heed,  therefore,  most  gracious  lords,  to 
punish  these  Jonases,  and  to  put  better  into  their  place ; 
or  else  God  will  punish  either  with  an  evil  beast,  either 
with  sword,  either  with  famine,  either  with  pestilence,  as 
it  is  written,  Ezechiel  xiv.  But  in  case  ye  will  do  it,  the 
sea  will  cease,  as  I  pray  God  it  may.  Amen. 

\^  Erat  hoc  religiosum  in  nonnuUis  etiam  aliis  hostiiSj  ne  quid  ex 
sacris  epulis  relinqueretur ;  aut  si  quid  reliquum  esset,  id  igni  absume- 
retur :  quemadmodum  Moyses  tradit  de  agno  paschali.  Porro  id  genus 
sacrificii  Romani  proterviam  appellant;  unde  eelebratur  illud  Catonis 
festiviter  dictum  in  Albidium  quendam,  qui  patrimonium  universum 
luxu  absumpserat  unis  exceptis  sedibus  quae  incendio  conflagrarunt : 
Proterviam  (inquit)  fecit,  propterea  quod  ea  quae  comesse  non  potuerit 

quasi  combussisset  Apud  veteres  erant  leges  sumptuariae,  atque  adeo 

Corinthij  quae  civitas  erat  ceteris  corruptior,  tamen  lex  erat  opposita 
sumptuosius  quam  pro  rei  familiaris  modo  viventibus.    Erasmi  Op. 
Lugd.  Bat.  1703.  Tom.  ii.  Adagiorum  Co.  849.] 
See  Plutarchi  Vitse,  in  Solon.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


485 


THE 

FOURTH  SERMON 
UPON  JONAS, 

MADE  BY  JOHN  HOPER,  THE  5th  OF  MARCH. 

THE  PREFACE. 

Saint  Paul  saith,  "  It  is  a  most  true  saying,  and  worthy  iTim.i. 
to  be  received  of  every  part,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
this  world  to  save  sinners."  1  Timo.  i.  Unto  the  which 
saying  agreeth  the  words  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  Luke  xix, 
"  The  Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was  Luke  xix. 
lost."  Who  is  it  among  us  all  that  would  not  joyfully  at 
the  hearing  of  so  amiable  and  sweet  a  saying  rejoice,  seeing 
we  be  all  miserable  and  cursed  sinners  by  nature ;  and  yet 
would,  as  full  of  misery  and  blindness  as  we  be,  be  saved, 
wish  ever  to  be  out  of  pain  ?  But  in  this  is  all  the  heed 
to  be  taken,  lest  we  sinisterly  understand  these  comfortable 
promises,  which  the  devil  aventureth  to  suade  us  unto. 
Where  as  he  cannot  altogether  bereave  and  rob  us  of  the 
promises,  he  would  us  to  construe  and  understand  the 
promises  amiss.  And  whereas  these  promises  appertaineth 
to  none  but  unto  repentant  sinners,  he  dazeth'  and  de- 
ceiveth  our  affection  and  love  we  bear  to  ourselves,  that  he 
will  bear  us  in  hand  God's  promise  appertaineth  as  well 
to  the  impenitent  and  never-minding  sinner  to  amend,  as 
unto  the  sorrowful,  afflicted,  believing  sinner,  and  he  that 
will  study  the  amendment  of  life;  against  the  which  illu- 
sion and  craft  of  the  devil  Christ  speaketh,  Matt.  ix.  JJ^^^^-^'^- 
Luke  V.  "  I  came  not  to  call  the  just,  but  sinners  to  re- 
pentance." Of  the  which  repentance  if  we  be  destitute, 
nothing  availeth  us  the  promises  of  God,  Luke  xiii.  "  Except  ^^^^ 
ye  repent,  all  shall  perish."  And  the  former  promises  were 
not  so  sweet,  but  these  threatenings  be  as  bitter ;  not  unto 
all  men,  but  unto  such  as  be  obstinately  evil  or  desperate. 
Against  whom  crieth  John  Baptist,  "  Even  now  is  the  axe  Luke  iu. 
put  unto  the  root  of  the  tree.  Every  tree  that  bringeth  forth 
no  good  fruit,  is  cut  down  and  put  into  the  fire,"  Luke  iii. 

Dazeth :  dazzleth.^ 


486 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


But  a  man  might  ask,  to  what  purpose  this  thing  is 
spoken  of  by  me :  doubtless  to  this  end,  to  prosecute 
and  follow  my  matter  begun.  I  said  that  the  authors  of 
this  unquietness  in  the  realm,  in  the  church,  and  in  every 
household,  were  very  Jonases,  and  those  that  troubled  the 
ship;  which  ought  either  to  be  amended,  or  removed  out 
of  their  office,  or  else  the  ship  may  never  come  to  rest. 
But  because  these  that  be  cast  into  the  sea  should  not 
despair,  there  must  be  some  remedy  found  to  solace  and 
comfort  such  as  be  fallen  into  danger  of  drowning.  This 
is  the  way.  If  they  take  the  admonitions  and  the 
admonitors  gently,  and  rail  not  against  them,  neither 
wink  at  their  own  faults ;  but  with  a  true  repentance  of 
the  heart  follow  this  our  prophet  Jonas,  who  confessed 
his  fault,  and  humbly  asked  remission  and  pardon  for  the 
same ;  so  shall  every  sinner  be  saved,  as  he  was,  according 
Ezek.  xviii.  to  the  oath  of  God,  Eze.  xviii,  "  As  truly  as  I  live,  saith 
the  Lord,  I  will  not  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  that  he  be 
converted  and  live."  This  counsel  of  the  Lord  except  our 
troublous  Jonases  follow,  they  shall  be  drowned  in  the  water 
of  eternal  damnation  with  Pharao. 

But  as  heretofore  ye  have  heard  how  Jonas  for  his  dis- 
obedience was  punished,  so  now  out  of  the  text  ye  shall 
hear  how  he,  repenting  his  misbehaviour  and  offences,  is 
preserved  in  his  dangers  ;  how  he  prayeth ;  and  at  last, 
how  he  is  delivered.  And  that  I  may  the  better  and  more 
plainly  teach  and  open  the  same,  I  will  divide  the  text  that 
foUoweth  into  four  parts.  The  first  part  containeth  the 
behaviour  and  doings  of  the  shipmen  after  they  had  cast 
J onas  into  the  sea :  the  second  part  containeth  how  Jonas, 
being  cast  into  the  sea,  was  received  into  the  belly  of  the 
whale :  the  third  containeth  the  behaviour  and  doings  of 
Jonas  in  the  whale's  belly  :  the  fourth  containeth  the  deli- 
verance and  casting  out  of  Jonas  from  the  belly  of  the  whale. 

The  first :  the  text  sayeth, 

Those  men  feared  wonderfully  the  Lord,  and  sacri- 
ficed unto  him,  and  made  their  vows. 

The  shipmen  did  these  three  things :  they  feared  ;  they 
sacrificed ;  and  vowed. 


IV.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


487 


After  they  perceived,  upon  the  execution  of  Jonas,  the 
sea  to  leave  his  trouble,  they  neglected  not  the  true  religion 
which  they  learned  in  their  trouble,  but  are  better  and  more 
strengthened  in  the  same  ;  for  they  feared  the  Lord,  and 
honoured  him  only.  Of  these  shipmen  let  us  learn  con- 
stancy and  perseverance  in  the  true  knowledge  of  God; 
and  when  we  be  delivered  out  of  danger,  let  us  not  give 
ourselves  to  liberty  and  folly  of  life,  as  naturally  we  be  in- 
clined and  propense  to  do.  Thus  admonished  Moses  dili- 
gently the  children,  Deut.  vi.  and  viii.  that  when  they  had  d?."*-  vi. 
received  the  abundant  benefits  of  the  Lord,  they  should  not, 
in  their  saturity  and  abundance,  be  unmindful  of  the  Lord 
that  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  the 
penury  and  scarcity  of  the  desert. 

The  thankfulness  of  these  mariners  shall  be  laid  against 
•us  at  the  day  of  our  examination  for  our  unthankfulness. 
For  God  hath  not  only  quieted  the  sea  for  us,  but  also  abun- 
dantly given  us  the  use  and  commodity  both  of  sea  and 
land ;  and  not  only  that  for  the  rest  and  quietness  of  the 
body,  but  also  he  hath  appeased  the  sea  of  great  displeasure 
and  damnation  eternal,  by  casting  of  his  only  beloved  Son 
Christ  Jesus  upon  the  cross,  to  cease  and  appease  the  ire 
and  displeasure  between  us  and  him  :  and  yet  we  neither 
fear  nor  love  him,  but  with  continual  hatred  and  despite 
contemn  both  him  and  his  holy  word. 

They  do  sacrifice. 

They  thought  it  not  enough  inwardly  to  honour  the 
Lord,  but  did  outward  sacrifice,  to  protest  and  declare 
unto  the  world  the  good  judgment,  faith,  and  knowledge 
they  had  in  the  Lord.  So  should  we  do  :  not  only  know 
God  and  fear  him  inwardly,  but  also  outwardly,  with  prayer, 
thanksgiving,  and  other  good  works  commanded  by  God, 
to  declare  the  same,  as  they  did  by  their  sacrifices,  before 
the  coming  of  Christ  into  our  flesh ;  the  which  were  types 
and  significations  of  Christ  to  come,  that  could  not  take 
away  the  sin  of  the  world,  as  Saint  Paul  saith,  Hebrews  x. :  Heb.  x. 
"  It  is  impossible  that  the  blood  of  calves  should  take  away 
sin.  Christ's  sacrifice,  once  offered  for  all,  by  that  once 
satisfied  for  all  sin."    Heb.  ix.    "  And  where  as  is  remission  Heb.  ix. 


488 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


Psal.  I. 
Amos  iv.  V. 
Heb.  xiii. 
Hosea  xiv. 
Micah  vi. 

1  Cor.  xvi. 

2  Cor.  viii. 
ix. 

Rom.  vi. 
Matt.  xi. 
Luke  xiv. 


Isai.  xix 


of  sin,  there  needeth  no  more  sacrifice."  It  is  therefore  an 
ungodly  doctrine,  that  in  this  time  of  the  new  testament 
teacheth  any  other  sacrifice  for  sin  than  the  only  death  of 
Christ.  If  question  now  be  asked,  Is  there  then  no  sacri- 
fices now  left  to  be  done  of  christian  people  ?  Yes,  truly ; 
but  none  other  than  such  as  ought  to  be  done  without 
altars.  And  they  be  of  three  sorts.  The  first  is  the 
sacrifices  of  thanksgiving.  Psalms  li.  Amos  the  fourth  and 
fifth,  Hebrews  the  thirteenth,  Oseas  xiv. :  the  second  is 
benevolence  and  liberality  to  the  poor,  Mich.  vi.  1  Corinth, 
xvi.  2  Corinth,  viii.  and  ix. :  the  third  kind  of  sacrifice 
is  the  mortifying  of  our  own  bodies,  and  to  die  from  sin, 
Rom.  vi.  Matt.  xi.  Luke  xiv.  If  we  study  not  daily  to 
offer  these  sacrifices  to  Grod,  we  be  no  christian  men. 

Seeing  christian  men  have  none  other  sacrifices  than 
these,  which  may  and  ought  to  be  done  without  altars, 
there  should  among  Christians  be  no  altars :  and  therefore 
it  was  not  without  the  great  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God, 
that  Christ,  his  apostles,  and  the  primitive  church,  lacked 
altars  ;  fbr  they  knew  that  the  use  of  altars  was  taken 
away.  It  were  well  then,  that  it  might  please  the  magis- 
trates to  turn  the  altars  into  tables,  according  to  the  first 
institution  of  Christ,  to  take  away  the  false  persuasion  of 
the  people  they  have  of  sacrifices  to  be  done  upon  the  altars; 
for  as  long  as  the  altars  remain,  both  the  ignorant  people, 
and  the  ignorant  and  evil-persuaded  priest,  will  dream  always 
of  sacrifice.  Therefore  were  it  best  that  the  magistrates 
removed  all  the  monuments  and  tokens  of  idolatry  and  super- 
stition ;  then  should  the  true  religion  of  God  the  sooner 
take  place. 

They  vow. 

Most  like  they  vowed  to  go  to  Hierusalem,  there  to 
manifest  the  mighty  power  of  God  to  the  people,  and  to 
give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  according  to  the  law  and  man- 
ner of  Moses'  decrees.  Lest  we  should  err  in  the  nature 
and  condition  of  a  vow,  there  be  three  things  to  be  noted : 
to  whom  the  vow  is  made  ;  what  is  vowed  ;  and  who  it 
is  that  maketh  the  vow.  The  vow  should  be  made  unto 
the  Lord,  as  Esay  the  prophet  saith,  chapter  xix.  "  They 
shall  make  their  vows  to  the  Lord."    The  thing  vowed 


IV.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


489 


may  not  be  contrary  to  any  of  the  tvpo  tables  within, 
Exodi  XX.  Deut.  v.  He  that  voweth  must  be  such  a  one  Exod.  xx. 
as  is  able  to  pay  and  satisfy  his  vow.  So  Saint  Paul  advised  ^' 
the  younger  widows  to  marry,  perceiving  how  unruly  and 
vehement  the  passions  of  young  age  was,  that  they  were 
not  apt  to  live  sole,  nor  to  keep  their  vow,  if  they  should 
vow  so  to  do. 

Now  foUoweth  the  second  member  of  the  oration  ;  how 
Jonas,  being  cast  into  the  sea,  was  received  of  the  whale : 
and  it  beginneth  the  second  chapter  of  the  prophet  in  this 
wise : 

But  the  Lord  prepared  a  great  fish  that  should  devour 
Jonas.  And  Jonas  was  in  the  fish's  belly  three  days 
and  three  nights. 

The  text  containeth  two  things :  first,  that  the  fish 
prepared  by  the  Lord  swallowed  up  J onas  :  the  second, 
how  long  time  Jonas  was  in  the  fish's  belly.  The  things 
to  be  noted  in  the  first  member  be  also  two  in  number. 
First  is  declared  the  wonderful  pity  and  mercy  of  God, 
that  can  and  will  help  the  afflicted  in  the  days  of  their 
afflictions.  Jonas  thought  none  other  but  to  die,  and  so  did 
the  mariners;  for  they  besought  God  not  to  require  the 
innocent's  blood  at  their  hands  :  but  the  Lord,  that  is  ready 
to  help  as  many  as  call  upon  him,  Psal.  viii.  and  ix.,  left  not  Psai.  viii.ix. 
his  penitent  and  afflicted  servant  Jonas,  but  preserved  his 
life,  though  it  were  with  trouble.  Thus  will  he  do  with  all 
those  that  be  the  Jonases  of  this  realm,  in  case  they  repent. 
Though  they  should  be  cast  from  all  the  honour  and  offices 
they  have,  better  it  were  to  lose  them  with  the  favour  of 
God,  than  to  keep  them  with  God's  displeasure  :  as  Zacheus  Luke^xix. 
did,  Luke  xix.  ;  Jacob,  Gen.  xxviii. 

The  means,  how  God  saveth  the  afflicted,  be  unknown 
unto  man,  and  man  should  not  be  curious  to  search  too 
much  for  the  knowledge  of  them,  but  commend  them  to  God; 
for  many  times  God  useth  those  for  life,  that  man  judgeth 
should  lead  unto  death.  So  was  Jonas  saved  by  the  de- 
vouring mouth  of  the  whale,  which  seemed  unto  Jonas' 
reason  rather  a  present  means  unto  death :  so  used  he  the 
crib  of  Moses,  and  the  wonderful  passage  of  the  children  of 


490 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


Israel  through  the  Red  Sea.  If  we  purge  and  cleanse  our 
knowledge,  religion  and  manners,  the  Lord  will  find  means 
sufficient  to  save  us;  which  we  may  not  appoint  to  our- 
selves, but  commend  them  to  the  providence  of  God.  For 
by  the  same  ways  that  we  seek  many  times  the  favour  of 
God  and  our  commodity,  we  find  his  displeasure  and  our  own 

1  Sam.  XV.  destruction ;  as  Saul  did,  1  Regum  xv.  that  sacrificed  without 
the  commandment  of  God,  purchased  the  severe  and  just 
ire  of  God.    The  Israelites,  that  of  good  meaning  and  inten- 

zech.  vii.  tion  fasted,  Zech.  vii.  and  sought  by  that  means  God's  good 
will,  they  found  his  displeasure.    Caiaphas  sought  by  coun- 

John  xi.  sel,  John  xi.,  to  have  oppressed  the  proceedings  of  Christ, 
and  oppressed  himself  and  the  whole  state  of  the  common- 
wealth also.  Cicero,  Rome;  Demosthenes,  Athens,  each  put 
their  commonwealth  in  danger  by  their  best  advised  counsel 
for  the  preservation  thereof :  and  so  shall  all  the  Jonases, 
extortioners,  oppressors,  deceivers,  flatterers,  and  other  of 
this  realm,  come  into  extreme  poverty  by  the  same  means 
they  seek  riches  ;  for  the  curse  of  God  cannot  suffer  evil- 
gotten  goods  and  possessions  long  to  prosper. 

Now  Jonas  sayeth  that  he  was  in  the  belly  of  the  whale 
three  days  and  three  nights.  Of  this  we  learn,  that  God 
helpeth  not  by  and  by  the  afiiicted,  but  exerciseth  them  in 
their  troubles.  First,  because  he  may  the  better  humble 
them,  and  bring  them  to  a  true  knowledge  of  their  faults, 
whose  greatness  is  so  big  that  it  cannot  be  perceived, 
whereas  the  pain  for  it  is  easy  and  light.  But  the  Lord 
would  us  the  better  to  judge  of  the  fault  by  the  greatness  of 
the  pain  ;  and  therefore  the  Lord  is  said  to  explorate  and 
try  his  in  affliction,  as  the  gold  is  tried  by  the  fire.  Farther, 
his  mighty  power  is  the  better  declared,  where  as  he  helpeth 
such  as  be  plain  desperate  of  all  other  remedies  and  helps. 
Last  of  all,  this  time  of  Jonas  being  in  the  whale's  body 
was  a  type  and  figure  of  Christ's  being  in  the  heart  of  the 

Matt.  xii.    earth  three  days  and  three  nights.    Matt.  xii. 

Now  foUoweth  it  how  this  man  behaved  himself  in  the 
time  of  his  trouble.  When  he  perceived  in  the  fish's  belly 
some  hope  and  sparkle  of  life,  he  fell  unto  prayer.  But 
because  prayer  containeth  in  itself  two  things,  the  know- 
ledge of  the  fault,  and  hope  of  forgiveness,  I  admonish  all 
the  Jonases  of  this  realm,  that  they  acknowledge  and  leave 


IV.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


491 


off  from  their  faults,  and  beg  pardon  for  them,  except  they 
will  die  eternally.  The  bishops  and  the  priests,  that  hath 
either  with  false  doctrine  destroyed  the  church,  either  by 
negligence  not  builded  it  with  the  true  word  of  God,  let 
them  acknowledge  their  faults,  amend  it,  and  ask  re- 
mission betime,  if  they  will  not  die  in  their  sin.  The 
noblemen  and  lawyers,  that  are  secretly  touched  with 
the  word  of  God,  and  their  conscience  condemneth  them 
of  wrongs,  frauds,  injuries  and  deceits,  let  them  not  in- 
durate and  harden  their  hearts;  but  pray  to  the  Lord  to 
take  from  them  pride,  arrogancy,  blindness,  and  covetous- 
ness,  lest  they  die  in  their  sin,  as  Saul  did.  The  people, 
let  them  pray  unto  God  for  knowledge  and  patience,  that 
they  may  know  and  suffer  all  things,  as  true  subjects  ought 
to  do ;  and  that  from  henceforth  they  hate  discord,  dissen- 
sion, treason,  conspiracy,  whoredom,  adultery,  idleness, 
hatred,  envy,  disdain,  and  such  like,  as  provoketh  God's  ire, 
and  leadeth  to  the  destruction  of  a  commonwealth. 

But  this  prayer  of  Jonas  is  so  acceptable,  it  might  be  thought 
of  some  men  that  the  place  where  Jonas  prayed  in  should  have 
bettered  it ;  as  the  foolish  opinion  of  the  world  is  at  this 
time,  that  judgeth  the  prayer  said  at  the  high  altar  to  be 
better  than  that  which  is  said  in  the  quire,  that  in  the  quire 
better  than  it  that  is  said  in  the  body  of  the  church,  that  in 
the  body  of  the  church  better  than  the  prayer  said  in  the 
field,  or  in  a  man's  chamber.  But  our  prophet  sayeth,  The 
Lord  hath  no  respect  to  the  place,  but  unto  the  heart  and 
faith  of  him  that  prayeth  :  and  that  appeareth  ;  for  penitent 
Jonas  prayeth  out  of  the  whale's  belly,  and  miserable  Job 
upon  the  dung-heap,  Daniel  in  the  cave  of  the  lions,  Hiere- 
my  in  the  clay-pit,  the  thief  upon  the  cross,  Saint  Stephin 
under  the  stones.  Wherefore  the  grace  of  God  is  to  be 
prayed  for  in  every  place  and  every  where,  as  our  necessity 
shall  have  need  and  wanteth  solace.  Although  I  commend 
the  prayer  made  to  God  in  the  name  of  Christ  to  be  like  in 
every  place,  because  that  our  necessity  requireth  help  in 
every  place;  yet  I  do  not  condemn  the  public  place  of 
prayer,  where  as  God's  word  is  preached,  his  holy  sacra- 
ments used,  and  common  prayer  made  unto  God,  but  allow 
the  same,  and  sorry  it  is  no  more  frequented  and  haunted. 
But  this  I  would  wish,  that  the  magistrates  should  put  both 


492 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


the  preacher,  minister,  and  the  people  in  one  place,  and  shut 
up  the  partition  called  the  chancel,  that  separateth  the 
congregation  of  Christ  one  from  the  other,  as  though  the 
veil  and  partition  of  the  temple  in  the  old  law  yet  should 
remain  in  the  church ;  where,  indeed,  all  figures  and  types 
ended  in  Christ.  And  in  case  this  were  done,  it  should  not 
only  express  the  dignity  and  grace  of  the  new  testament, 
but  also  cause  the  people  the  better  to  understand  the 
things  read  there  by  the  minister;  and  also  provoke  the 
minister  to  a  more  study  of  the  things  that  he  readeth,  lest 
he  should  be  found  by  the  judgment  of  the  congregation  not 
worthy  neither  to  read  nor  to  minister  in  the  church. 
Farther,  that  such  as  would  receive  the  holy  communion 
of  the  precious  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  might  both  hear 
and  see  plainly  what  is  done,  as  it  was  used  in  the  primitive 
church,  when  as  the  abomination  done  upon  altars  was  not 
known,  nor  the  sacrifice  of  Christ's  precious  blood  so  con- 
culcated  and  trodden  under  foot. 

The  third  thing  in  this  prayer  is  to  be  noted,  lest  in 
the  port  itself  we  make  shipwreck,  and  offend  God  in 
praying :  to  whom  we  pray — unto  him  that  only  seeth 
the  cogitations  of  our  heart,  and  can  and  will  do  all  things 
for  us  accordingly,  help  at  need,  and  punish  in  due  sea- 
son; which  only  God  can  do.  And  unto  him  should  we 
direct  and  make  our  prayer,  after  the  examples  of  the 
patriarchs,  prophets,  and  the  apostles,  who  called  always 
upon  their  God ;  for  such  as  direct  otherwise  their  prayers, 
they  fail  and  err  all  the  heavens  wide.    Against  whom 

isai.ixv.     speaketh  Esay  Ixv.,  Jer.  ii.  xv.,  Ezech.  xiv.     And  the 

Ezek.  'xiv.'  Lord  is  angry  with  his  people,  as  Esay  saith,  chap,  ix., 
"  because  they  turned  not  unto  him  that  strake  them,  nor 
unto  the  God  of  armour."     And  in  the  prophet  Osee, 

Hos.  vii.  chap.  vii. :  "  They  called  not  to  me,"  sayeth  the  Lord,  "  in 
their  hearts."  And  in  the  same  place,  a  little  after,  sayeth 
the  prophet,  "  They  be  returned,  but  not  unto  the  Highest." 
So  likewise  are  they  no  less  to  be  blamed,  that  divide  their 
hearts,  part  unto  God,  and  part  unto  creatures;  of  whom 

Hos.  X.      speaketh  Osee  in  the  tenth  chapter. 

If  these  three  things  that  Jonas  used  in  the  whale's 
belly  were  used  of  the  people  that  profess  Christ's  name 
in  our  temples,  blessed  were  wo.     But  it  is  all  to  the  con- 


IV.] 


SERMONS    UPON  .lONAS. 


498 


trary :  we  know  not  what  prayer  is,  nor  yet  will  take  the 
pains  to  learn  it ;  the  more  is  the  pity,  and  the  more  is 
God  stirred  to  vengeance  and  punishment,  and  the  more 
cruel  shall  the  pain  be  when  it  is  executed  by  God. 

As  we  know  by  the  text  he  prayed,  so  may  we  know 
by  the  same  how  he  prayed,  and  what  was  the  form  and 
manner  of  his  prayer.  That  is  very  requisite  to  be  known, 
marked,  and  borne  away :  the  effect  and  sum  thereof  con- 
sisteth  in  three  points.  In  two  of  the  first  verses  he  putteth 
forth  briefly  the  abridgement  and  epitome  of  his  prayer; 
then  declareth  he  the  greatness  of  his  danger  and  jeo- 
pardy ;  thirdly,  he  setteth  forth  the  pity  and  mercy  of  God. 
The  first  part : 

From  my  troubles  I  have  called  upon  the  Lord, 
and  he  heard  me :  from  the  deepness  of  the  deep- 
est I  cried,  and  thou  heardest  my  voice. 

Out  of  this  first  part  we  learn  two  doctrines :  the  one 
that  we  should  not  despair,  nor  clean  cast  off"  God  in 
adversity ;  the  other,  that  in  adversity  we  should  not  fly, 
nor  seek  any  forbidden  or  unlawful  means  of  help.  And 
these  two  things  observed  Jonas  in  this  his  trouble;  and 
we  should  do  the  same  according  to  the  commandment  of 
God.  Psal.  xcix.  "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  thy  troubles,  [Psai.  i.] 
and  I  shall  hear  thee,"  as  he  did  at  all  times.  Psal.  xcix.  psai.  xcix. 
And  this  cry  of  Jonas  to  the  Lord  was  rather  the  cry 
of  his  heart  than  the  noise  or  sound  of  his  mouth,  as 
Moses''  was,  Exodi  xiv.,  and  the  mod  woman's,  1  Samuel  i.   Exod.  xiv. 

The  circumstances  of  true  prayer  observed,  the  Lord 
heareth  this  faithful  prayer  according  to  his  promises. 
Whereof  all  idololatrical  bishops  and  priests  may  learn,  if 
they  will  forsake  their  idololatry,  and  call  unto  the  Lord, 
mercy  is  ready  for  them.  And  if  the  lascivious,  avaricious, 
or  covetous  gentleman  or  lawyer  will  acknowledge  his  fault, 
and  ask  remission  for  it,  it  will  be  forgiven  him.  And 
so  shall  it  be  to  the  common  sort  of  people,  if  they  ac- 
knowledge their  disobedience,  rebelhon,  treason,  pride,  con- 
tempt of  the  superior  powers,  and  ask  mercy  for  it. 

The  second  part  of  his  prayer  containeth  a  description 
of  his  dangers  that  he  was  in,  after  this  sort  : 


494  SERMONS    UPON   JONAS.  [sERM. 

Thou  hast  cast  me  down  deep  in  the  middest  of  the 
sea,  and  the  flood  compassed  me  about:  yea,  all 
the  waves  and  rolls  of  water  went  over  me :  I 
thought  I  had  been  cast  away  out  of  thy  sight ; 
but  I  will  yet  again  look  toward  thy  holy  temple. 
The  waters  compassed  me  even  to  my  very  life : 
the  deep  lay  about  me,  and  the  weeds  were  wrapt 
about  my  head.  I  went  down  to  the  bottom  of 
the  hills,  and  was  barred  in  with  earth  for  ever. 

It  is  the  common  sort  of  all  holy  men  for  the  most 
part,  in  the  holy  scripture,  to  make  mention  in  their  prayers 
of  their  dangers,  and  to  amplify  them,  that  their  great- 
ness may  be  the  better  marked  and  known.  And  this  is 
done  for  three  causes  :  the  one  because,  with  the  number- 
ing and  rehearsal  of  their  great  dangers,  they  may  the 
more  inflame  themselves  to  ardent  and  earnest  prayer ;  for 
the  more  a  man  feeleth  his  own  grief,  the  more  diligent 
he  will  be  to  seek  a  remedy.  The  other  is  to  bring  a 
man  the  more  to  a  contempt  and  hatred  of  himself ;  for 
the  greatness  of  the  pain  declareth  the  enormity  and  filthi- 
ness  of  the  transgression  and  sin.  The  third  is  to  set  forth 
the  power  and  good  will  of  God,  that  can  and  will  help 
in  extreme  and  desperate  evils,  and  save  with  superabun- 
dant mercy,  where  as  he  findeth  iniquity  and  sin  to  abound. 
Rom.  V.  Romans  v.  And  so,  many  times,  the  slavery  and  miserable 
state  of  the  afflicted  setteth  forth  the  majesty  and  rich- 
Matt,  viii.   ness  of  God's  mercy.     Matt.  viii.  ix.  John  iv.  ix. 

This  man  of  God  noted  and  knew  the  displeasure  of 
God  against  sin  :  but  our  Jonases  sleep  quietly  in  both  ears, 
and  feeleth  not  the  pain  of  sin ;  and  this  security  and 
insensibleness  under  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  by  the 
ignorancy  that  the  whole  world  is  lapped  in  almost,  as  touch- 
ing the  danger  of  their  vocations.  If  the  clergy,  the  bishops 
and  priests  would  think  upon  this  pain  annexed  unto  their 
vocation,  if  they  do  it  not  truly,  faithfully,  and  as  they  be 
commanded  of  God  ;  Sanguinem  illorim  de  manu  tua  re- 
Ezek.  iii.  quiram,  that  is  to  say,  "  I  will  require  their  blood  at  thy 
hand,"  Ezechiel  iii.  xxxiii. ;  they  would  serve  the  Lord  and 


IV.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


495 


use  more  diligence  in  their  vocation  than  they  do.    If  the 

noblemen  would  think  upon  this  text,  "  The  Lord  resisteth 

the  proud;"  and  this  text,  Esay  v.,  "Woe  be  unto  youisai. v. 

that  join  house  to  house,  and  field  to  field,"  &c.  ;  and 

the  lawyers  and  judges  that  is  written,  Proverbs  xvii.  and  prov.  xvu. 

Matthew  xxiii. ;  they  would  not  sleep  in  great  rest,  nor  use 

the  place  they  be  in  with  such  partiality  and  falsehood  as 

they  do.    In  case  the  common  people  would  think  upon 

the  third  of  Genesis,  where  as  labour  is  commanded,  and  also  Gen.  iii. 

1  Thessalonians  iv.  2  Thessalonians  iii.,  they  would  not  for-  ixhess.  iv. 

2  Xhcss  iii 

sake  labour,  and  seek  weapon  and  strength  to  turn  and  alter 
the  state  and  order  that  God  hath  appointed  upon  the  earth. 
But  this  I  say  to  every  man  of  each  of  those  degrees  men- 
tionated  of:  the  less  they  feel  the  danger  of  eternal  dam- 
nation, the  nearer  they  be  unto  eternal  pain,  and  have 
already  one  foot  in  hell,  which  shall  never  come  again,  but 
the  whole  body  and  soul  shall  follow,  except  they  repent : 
for  no  man  is  farther  from  heaven  than  he  that  feareth 
not  hell,  nor  no  man  farther  from  grace  than  he  that 
feeleth  not  the  danger  of  sin ;  as  we  see  no  man  in  more 
dangerous  disease,  than  he  that  knoweth  not  himself  to 
be  sick,  as  those  men  be  that  are  fallen  into  frenzy  and 
madness.  Let  us  learn  with  Jonas  to  know  in  what  danger 
we  be. 

Yet  is  there  another  thing  to  be  noted  in  Jonas'  words, 
where  as  he  sayeth :  "  Thou  hast  cast  me  down."  Of  these 
words  should  those  that  be  damned  by  the  magistrates 
acknowledge,  that  it  is  not  the  magistrate  that  putteth 
them  to  execution,  but  God,  whose  ministers  they  be  ;  and 
ought  to  save  such  as  God's  word  saveth,  and  damn  those 
that  God's  word  damneth.  It  is  God  that  sendeth  to  hell, 
that  hangeth  for  transgression  upon  the  gallows,  as  Jonas 
knew  in  this  his  prayer:  he  accused  not  the  mariners 
that  cast  him  into  the  sea,  but  confessed  the  execution  of 
the  evil  to  be  from  God. 

Let  therefore  from  henceforth  the  bishop  and  parson, 
that  is  deprived  of  their  vocations  for  their  misbehaviour 
and  false  or  negligent  preaching  in  them,  say,  "  The  Lord 
hath  cast  me  down."  So  let  the  noblemen  and  the  law- 
yers say,  when  their  ravine,  covetousness,  fraud,  and  deceit 
crieth  vengeance  before  God,  till  they  be  displaced  :  "  The 


496  SEKMONS    UPON    JONAS.  [sERM. 

Lord  hath  cast  me  down."  And  the  same  let  the  traitorous 
subject,  the  thief,  the  murderer,  and  idle  man  say :  "  The 
Lord  brought  me  to  the  gallows ;  the  Lord  would  I  should 
trouble  the  commonwealth  no  longer." 

And  I  do  here  appeal  and  burden  every  subject's  con- 
science of  this  realm  of  England.  First,  those  that  have 
the  doings,  receivings,  occupyings  and  custody,  oversight, 
rule,  and  office  of  the  king's  majesty's  goods  or  lands. 
Then,  their  conscience,  to  whom  the  king  and  his  council 
hath  commended  the  teaching  and  instruction  of  his  people 
in  the  knowledge  and  fear  both  of  God  and  man.  Finally, 
I  appeal  all  the  consciences  of  the  subjects  of  this  realm 
which  meriteth,  some  for  deceit,  falsehood,  and  deceiving 
of  the  king,  loss  both  of  body  and  goods  ;  some  for  preaching 
erroneous,  seditious,  and  false  doctrine,  or  for  neglecting 
the  preaching  of  the  true  doctrine,  deserve  most  cruel 
punishment ;  some  for  false  judgment  merit  the  loss  of 
their  lives ;  the  rest  for  rebellion,  sedition  and  treason,  de- 
serve the  sword  and  the  gallows — whether,  in  suffering  the 
pain  appointed  for  such  transgression,  they  can  from  their 
hearts  say :  "  This  suffer  I  worthily,  and  will  the  vengeance 
of  God,  because  I  have  sinned  against  him  and  the  law 
of  my  commonwealth."  No,  no,  the  Lord  knoweth,  every 
man  extenuateth,  yea,  excuseth  all  things  done  against  God 
and  his  order.  But  I  will  feign  thee,  thou  thief  and  robber 
of  the  king  and  of  the  commonwealth,  to  be  king,  and  the 
king  thy  officer  and  receiver:  wouldest  thou  thy  officer 
should  deceive  thee?  Or,  thou  traitorous  and  false  subject, 
if  thou  were  king  and  the  king  thy  subject,  wouldest  thou 
be  contented  that  thy  subject  should  conspire  and  imagine 
how  to  pluck  thee  out  of  thy  realm?  What  if  my  lord 
bishop  and  master  parson  were  kings,  trow  ye  their  ma- 
jesties would  be  contented  that  their  bishops  and  priests 
should  whisper  a  tale  of  treason  and  sedition  in  auricular 
confession,  or  rather  privy  conventicles,  to  their  subjects  ?' 

Speak  all  ye  that  be  feigned  kings,  and  speak  of  your 
consciences :  I  dare  say  ye  would  not  be  thus  handled. 
Why  then  do  ye  handle  another  so  ?     Remember  ye  not 

P  This  probably  is  in  allusion  to  those  of  the  clergy,  who  adhering 
to  popery  in  their  hearts,  secretly  promoted  the  rebellions  against 
king  Edward  the  sixth.    See  Burnet,  Part  i.  Book  2.] 


IV.] 


SERMOXS    UPON  JONAS. 


497 


in  this  law  of  nature,  Qmod  tibi  non  ms  fieri,  alteri  ne 
facias ;  that  is  to  say,  "  Do  not  to  another  that  thou 
wouldest  not  another  should  do  unto  thee?"  Amend  there- 
fore, every  man,  and  be  true  and  faithful  unto  the  realm, 
to  the  king,  and  laws  of  him  and  his  realm.  And  for  the 
love  of  God,  ye  noblemen,  gentlemen,  justices  and  lawyers, 
the  wholesome  laws  of  the  realm,  the  statutes  and  com- 
missions that  hath  been  made  by  the  king  and  the  council, 
for  the  preservation  of  the  commonwealth  and  the  help  of 
the  poor,  which  be  both  afflicted  with  your  insatiable  and 
never-contented  covetousness — let  them  be  faithfully  exe- 
cuted, and  uprightly  interpretated,  according  to  the  mind 
and  meaning  of  those  that  made  them  ;  for  the  evil  con- 
struing and  sinister  taking  of  good  laws,  and  godly  meaning 
of  godly  magistrates,  doth  not  only  afflict  the  poor  of  this 
i:ealm,  but  will  sure  at  length  cast  the  whole  realm  under 
the  water.  It  cometh  now  into  my  mind,  a  practice  of  evil- 
taking  the  governor's  word  and  commandment,  how  perilous 
and  dangerous  thing  it  is. 

I  was  once  in  the  Race  of  Britaine*^  with  a  fore  wind 
and  contrary  flood,  the  seas  in  that  place  going  both  hollow, 
and  that  by  reason  of  a  multitude  of  rocks  in  the  same  place. 
The  master  of  the  ship,  to  conduct  her  the  better,  sat  upon 
the  main  yard  to  see  the  seas  aforehand,  and  cried  to  him 
that  steered  the  stern,  always  upon  which  side  he  should 
steer  the  ship,  to  break  best  the  danger  of  the  sea.  The 
wind  blowing  high,  whereas  the  master  cried  a-larboard,  he 
that  steered  mistook  it,  and  steered  a-starboard  ;  and  the 
once  mistaking  of  the  master's  law  had  almost  cast  us  under 
the  water.  Then  thought  I,  It  is  not  without  cause  that 
wise  men  compare  a  commonwealth  to  a  ship ;  for  one  thing 
loseth  and  saveth  them  both.  For  in  case  the  master's 
officer  in  the  ship  obey  not  his  law,  the  ship  will  of  force 
drown.  So  shall  this  commonwealth  and  every  other,  that 
when  the  king  and  his  council  shall  make  laws  to  help  and 
save  the  poor,  such  as  steer  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship 
behind  the  king's  back,  follow  not  that  he  is  bid  to  do,  but 
that  that  he  listeth  himself,  and  his  own  private  com- 
modity to  do'^ ;  and  thus  putteth  both  the  ship,  the  master, 

P  Probably  the  Race  of  Aldcrney.J 
\y  To  do,  omitted  in  T.] 

r  1 

\  HOOPEE.J 


498 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


and  all  the  mariners,  in  danger  of  drowning.  Amend 
therefore  every  man  betime ;  if  ye  do  not,  the  Lord  at 
length  will  cast  ye  out  from  all  ye  have,  to  the  destruction 
of  you  and  yours. 

But  of  one  thing  I  pray  you  all  that  be  true  and  faithful 
subjects  and  friends  unto  the  kingdom  and  the  king's 
majesty — ^that  ye  will  not  impute,  nor  burden  the  king's 
majesty  nor  his  council  with  the  oppression,  extortion, 
theft,  injuries,  deceits,  falseheads,  defrauds,  cautelles',  vio- 
lences, and  other  wrongs,  that  those  thieves  and  destroyers 
use  towards  you  and  the  commonwealth  :  if  their  using 
might  come  to  their  knowledge,  I  doubt  not  but  that  your 
wrongs  should  be  redressed  by  them.  And  this  I  know 
myself  by  experience  in  weighty  matters,  the  king's  majesty's 
council  hath  not  only  heard,  but  given  accordingly  sentence 
with  the  truth,  and  used  me  rather  like  fathers  than  like 
judges  in  such  matters.  If  they  had  taken  things  spoken 
by  me  honestly,  evil  construed  by  mine  accusers,  there  could 
have  followed  no  less  than  my  great  undoing,  and  hinderance 
to  all  ray  labours  and  pains  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord. 
Therefore,  pray  to  him  that  all  good  laws  may  be  justly 
executed,  and  all  other  amended  ;  which  God  grant ! 

There  is  one  word  more  in  the  text  which  must  not 
be  neglected  ;  where  J onas  sayeth  he  shall  see  again  the  holy 
temple  of  the  Lord :  in  the  which  words  note  two  things : 
the  one,  how  that  in  the  most  obscure  and  dark  troubles 
of  adversity  God  suffereth  some  spark  of  consolation  to 
shine;  the  other,  to  what  end  a  man  being  in  trouble,  should 
desire  to  be  delivered — to  extol  and  praise  for  ever  the  name 

isai  xxxviii.  of  the  Lord.  Esay  thirty  and  eight.  But  how  this  end  of 
deliverance  is  practised  in  our  days,  the  Lord  knoweth.  W e 
use  not  to  desire  the  Lord  to  be  delivered,  to  glorify  and 

Psai.  li.      laud  his  holy  name,  as  this  Jonas  did,  and  David,  Psal.  li. 

cxviii. ;  but  from  sickness  and  adversity  we  turn  ourself  to 
all  ungodliness  and  liberty  of  life ;  and  where  we  were  evil 
before  trouble  and  sickness,  we  be  worse  after :  therefore 
when  God  hath  wasted  one  rod  upon  us  in  punishment,  he 
beginneth  to  make  another,  more  sharper  than  the  first. 
And  even  as  the  fall  again  into  a  disease,  before  the  first 
be  quite  past  and  overcome,  bringeth  the  more  danger 

['  Crafty  proceedings.] 


IV.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


499 


unto  the  patient;  even  so  the  relapse  and  fall  again  into 
the  displeasure  and  judgment  of  God,  not  only  doubleth 
the  grief  and  pain  of  the  punishment,  but  also  endangereth 
the  afflicted  person  with  the  horror  and  damnation  of  hell- 
fire  ;  for  every  relapse  aggravateth  the  pain  for  sin. 

After  this  foUoweth  the  third  part  of  Jonas'  prayer,  in 
the  which  is  contained  a  commendation  of  God's  mercy. 

But  thou,  O  Lord  my  God,  hast  brought  my  life 
again  out  of  corruption.  When  my  soul  fainted 
within  me,  I  thought  upon  the  Lord,  and  my 
prayer  came  in  unto  thee,  even  into  thy  holy 
temple. 

In  these  verses  is  declared  both  the  power  of  God  and 
the  truth  of  God :  his  power  that  saved  his  life,  where  was 
no  likelihood  but  of  death,  yea,  death  itself ;  for  he  it  is 
alone  that  bringeth  to  hell,  and  saveth  from  thence,  1  Sam.  i  gam.  i. 
i. ;  his  truth  is  declared,  that  whereas  he  saith,  "  Call 
upon  me  in  the  days  of  thy  trouble,  and  I  will  hear  thee," 
Psalm  ninety  and  nine^,  here  he  performeth  it  in  this  afflicted 
Jonas ;  of  whom  we  should  learn  both  to  fear  his  threaten- 
ing justice,  and  to  trust  unto  his  promised  mercy  ;  for  he 
can  do  both,  punish  the  evil  that  will  not  repent,  and  save 
the  afflicted  that  fleeth  unto  his  mercy. 

They  that  hold  of  vain  vanities  will  forsake  his 
mercy. 

The  people  of  God  have  a  custom  in  their  prayers,  as 
they  behold  the  true  and  saving  health  of  the  living  God, 
so  of  the  contrary  part,  to  consider  the  false  and  deceitful 
help  of  the  false  gods ;  as  David  doth  many  times,  and  here 
also  our  Jonas.  So  do  the  true  Chidstians  at  this  day ; 
in  beholding  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  they  behold  and 
wonder  at  the  fond  and  false  hope,  help  and  trust,  that 
men  put  in  vanity,  error,  and  forbidden  help  of  the  mass, 
water,  bread,  salt,  bough  ^,  candle,  pardons  and  such  like. 
And  this  note,  christian  reader,  that  the  prophet  calleth 

Psalm  ninety  and  nine,  omitted  in  T.] 
P  Bough :  bowe,  D.  1,  bough,  D.  2,  boughe,  T.] 

32— -2 


500  SERMONS    UPON    JONAS.  [sF.HM. 

false  and  vain  religion  vanity.  So  judge  thou  of  every 
religion  that  is  not  contained  within  the  word  of  God,  to 
be  nothing  else  than  vanity,  from  whencesoever  it  cometh  ; 
though  the  world  would  bear  thee  in  hand,  it  were  as  true 
as  the  gospel.  But  ask  that  true  judge,  the  word  of  God, 
and  it  will  shew  thee  it  is  superstition,  beggary,  and  treachery 
unto  the  soul ;  and  those  do  lose  the  benevolence  and 
mercy,  that  God  hath  promised  in  Christ  to  as  many  as 
seek  him  in  truth  and  in  verity.  Out  of  this  text  ye  see 
Matt.  vi.  the  doctrine  of  Christ  true,  that  is  written  Matthew  vi., 
"  No  man  can  serve  two  masters,"  the  true  religion  of  God, 
and  the  superstition  of  man.  Nor  he  can  be  saved  that 
trusteth  in  Christ  hanged  upon  the  cross,  and  Christ  offered 
in  the  mass  :  for  the  one  is  contrary  plain  unto  the  other ; 
therefore  Jonas  confesseth  what  he  will  do — follow  the  one 
and  forsake  the  other,  as  the  text  of  his  oration  saveth. 

But  I  will  do  thee  sacrifice  with  the  voice  of  thanks- 
giving, and  will  pay  that  I  have  vowed. 

Here  Jonas  eftsoons  telleth,  what  he  will  do  being  deli- 
vered from  his  trouble  :  he  will  extol,  magnify,  and  set 
forth  the  goodness  of  God.  Then  he  will  perform  his  vow 
made,  that  is  to  say,  live  obediently  unto  the  command- 
ment of  God.  The  same  must  we  do,  and  not  use  health 
and  quietness  as  an  occasion  to  sin,  liberty,  and  filthiness 
of  life.  Jonas  also  amendeth  the  foolish  opinion  of  the 
Jews,  that  trusted  to  have  obtained  remission  of  their  sins, 
by  the  offering  up  of  their '  calves  and  other  brute  beasts : 
but  Jonas  declareth  that  the  Lord  delighteth  in  no  sacrifice 
that  man  can  do,  saving  in  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving  ; 
for  only  Christ  is  the  sacrifice  propitiatory,  and  he  that 
alone  meriteth  before  God  the  remission  of  sin.  If  then 
in  the  time  of  the  shadow-  Jonas  knew  the  Lord  to  accept 
the  sacrifice  of  the  heart  and  mouth,  that  was  endued  with 
faith,  above  the  sacrifice  of  the  bloody  calves,  how  much 
more  now  of  us  will  he  do  the  same,  above  the  idololatrical 
sacrifice  of  the  mass  ! 

C  Their,  T.,  the,  D.  1,  2.] 

"  The  law  having  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,"  &c.  Heb.  xi.] 


IV.} 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


501 


Jonas,  well  trusting  of  God's  mercy  and  promises,  shew- 
eth  a  reason,  wherefore  he  will  laud  and  praise  the  Lord^ 
when  he  cometh  out  of  trouble,  and  saith : 

For  salvation  cometh  of  the  Lord. 

As  though  he  had  said.  No  man  can  give  health  of  body 
or  soul  except  God ;  as  David  saith  almost  in  every  psalm, 
and  Esay  xliii.  xliv.  If  this  doctrine  were  well  printed  into 
our  heads,  we  would  not  go  astray  to  every  strange  God,  * 
and  superstition  of  man,  as  the  world  doth  now-a-days  more 
like  heathens  than  Christians.  Farther,  we  would  the  better 
sustain  and  endure  adversity,  seeing  it  can  neither  go  nor 
come  without  the  provision  of  God.  Gracious  king,  and 
my  lords  of  the  council,  remember  this  doctrine  of  J onas ; 
and  then  ye  need  not  to  fear  to  reform  this  church  of 
England  unto  the  primitive  state  and  apostolical  doctrine. 
Let  the  devil  with  all  his  ministers  do  what  they  will :  if 
the  judges  remembered  this  doctrine,  they  would  not  fear 
to  punish  evil-doers  ;  if  the  people  knew  this  doctrine,  they 
would  not  take  armour  and  weapon  against  the  magistrates, 
but  seek  help  from  God.  Before  all  men  let  the  preacher 
comfort  himself  with  this  word ;  for  he  is  in  danger  of  most 
displeasure,  if  he  preach  not  truly.  Also  let  the  persecutors 
of  God's  word  take  heed  of  this  doctrine :  for  in  the  Lord 
shall  be  their  health,  let  them  persecute  what  and  how  they 
will ;  though  they  burn,  the  Lord  will  quench ;  if  they  kill, 
the  Lord  will  make  alive  ;  if  they  curse,  the  Lord  will  bless  ; 
if  they  damn  to  hell,  the  Lord  will  save  in  heaven.  Blessed 
is  then  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord. 

Now  followeth  the  conclusion  of  the  chapter. 

And  the  Lord  spake  unto  the  fish,  and  it  cast  out 
Jonas  again  upon  the  dry  land. 

Here  ye  may  see  the  effect  of  a  godly  and  earnest 
prayer — that  it  obtaineth  deliverance  from  the  danger.  Of 
this  in  the  whole  we  learn,  that  there  is  none  so  great 
danger,  but  that  we  may  escape,  if  with  penitence  we  re- 
turn unto  the  Lord,  and  ask  him  mercy.  As  many  J onases 
therefore,  as  be  in  this  realm,  that  hath  and  doth  or 


502 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


[sERM. 


falsely  use  or  negligently  contemn  their  vocation,  let  them 
acknowledge  their  offence,  and  beg  pardon ;  or  else  doubt- 
less, where  penitent  Jonas  was  cast  a  dry  land,  they  shall 
remain  for  ever  in  the  pains  of  hell,  as  Saul  doth.  Let 
them  see  therefore,  that  be  bishops  and  priests,  in  what 
danger  they  be,  that  neglect  or  abuse  their  vocation :  if 
they  amend,  health  cometh,  as  unto  this  miserable  and 
penitent  man.     This  I  speak  to  the  noblemen  and 
to  the  lawyers,  and  also  to  the  common  peo- 
ple.    I  pray  God  all   Jonases  of  this 
realm  thus  repent :    in   case  all  do 
not,  yet  that  some  follow  this 
godly  man,  that  they  may 
be  saved,  as  he  is. 
So  be  it. 


SEIl.\rONS   UPON   JONAS.  503 


thp: 

FIFTH  SERMON 
UPON  JONAS, 

iMADE  BY  JOHN  HOPER. 


THE  PREFACE. 

There  is  no  man  that  hath  any  respect  or  care  at  all 
of  his  health,  that  would  not  gladly  his  faith,  knowledge, 
and  faults  should  be  approved  and  well  taken  of  God : 
for  he  knoweth  all  labours  and  pains  to  be  in  vain  and 
lost,  that  are  not  commended  by  him.  Yet  in  this  be- 
half men  grievously  offend  and  go  out  of  the  way,  when 
the  thing  that  God  most  esteemeth  is  of  our  parts  most 
neglected,  and  the  thing  that  God  hateth  and  is  dis- 
pleased withal,  we  most  diligently  do  and  exercise  our- 
selves in.  Men  be  brought  to  this  ignorancy  and  contempt 
of  God  and  his  word,  that  they  judge  every  thing  done 
of  a  good  intention  and  well  meaning  should  please  the 
Lord ;  from  whence  sprung  this  infinite,  dangerous,  and 
superstitious  number  of  sacrifices  and  other  servings  of 
God.  But  what  thing,  after  the  right  judgment  of  the 
scripture,  chiefly  pleaseth  God  ?  Obedience :  that  is  to 
say,  when  every  man  in  his  state  and  his  vocation  doth 
the  thing  he  is  commanded  to  do ;  as  it  is  written,  1  Sam.  1  Sam.  xiii. 
xiii.,  "  I  desire  obedience,  and  not  sacrifice.''''  Let  no  man 
therefore  think  he  can  do  any  thing  acceptable  unto  the 
Lord,  if  he  neglect  the  works  necessary  appointed  unto  his 
vocation. 

Here  may  princes  take  heed  they  go  not  about  with 
liberality  to  make  other  men  good  for  them,  learned  for 
them,  virtuous  for  them,  wise  for  them,  and  they  them- 
selves neglect  study,  prayer,  pains,  and  labour ;  but 
to  know  and  do  all  things  themselves,  that  is  required  to 
a  princely  office  by  the  express  word  of  God.  Study, 
wisdom,  knowledge,  and  exercise  is  required  in  the  prince 


504 


SERMONS  UPON  JONAS. 


[SEBM. 


himself.  Let  the  bishops  and  priests  beware  they  go  not 
about  to  please  God  with  mass,  dirige,  pardons,  rites  and 
ceremonies  invented  by  men.  But  let  them  do  the  works 
of  their  vocation,  gravely  study,  dihgently  and  truly  preach 
the  word  of  God,  christianly  minister  the  sacraments,  and 
severely  use  discipline  and  correction  of  indurate  men's 
faults.  So  let  the  councillor  see  what  equity  bindeth  him 
to  do,  the  honour  of  God,  the  obedience  unto  his  prince, 
and  the  love  of  his  country;  and  so  judge  and  counsel  for 
the  glory  of  God,  and  wealth  of  the  realm,  and  not 
for  his  own  affection  or  profit ;  and  think  that  the  parson, 
bishop  or  priest  is  able  to  sing  or  say  the  remission  or 
pardon  for  the  neglecting  of  his  duty ;  but  he  must  do 
the  works  thereof  himself.  The  common  sort  of  people, 
let  them  learn  to  know  and  obey  both  God  and  man,  and 
not  trust  to  the  pardon  and  remission  of  their  ignorancy, 
and  disobedient  treason  and  sedition,  at  the  parson's  ot 
vicar's  hand ;  but  they  must  know  and  fear  both  God  and 
God's  magistrate  themselves. 

How  fair  and  religious,  good  and  godly  soever  the  good 
intention  of  man  appear  and  shew  itself  to  men,  it  is 
plain  iniquity  before  God ;  as  ye  may  see  by  Saul,  that 
thought  God  would  be  pleased  with  the  well-meant  fat 
1  Sam.  xiii.  sacrifice  of  king  Agag.    1  Sam.  xiii.     And  also  that  he 
1  Sam.  XV.   fought  with  the  heathen  before  Samuel's  coming,  1  Sam.  xv. 

he  was  not  only  rebuked  grievously  for  his  fault,  but  dishe- 
rited also  of  his  kingdom  for  ever.  I  dare  pronounce  that 
all  these  mischiefs  and  troubles,  that  happen  in  this  ship 
and  commonwealth  of  England,  spring  out  of  this  fountain. 
No  man  laboureth  to  do  the  works  that  God  hath  ap- 
pointed to  his  vocation.  And  an  example  hereof  we  have 
seen  in  Jonas,  whose  disobedience  and  want  of  doing  his 
vocation  moved  the  winds  in  the  air,  the  waters  of  the 
sea ;  so  that  it  had  like  to  have  drowned  himself,  the 
ship,  and  as  many  as  were  within  board.  And  seeing  there 
is  none  of  us  but  is  culpable,  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  in  neglecting  the  works  of  our  vocation,  and  thereby 
inobedient  to  the  good  will  and  commandment  of  God,  let 
us  repent  and  return  to  a  better  mind.  He  that  erreth 
shall  not  perish,  if,  being  admonished,  he  return  home  a- 
Mattixr''  gain.   Ezech.  xviii..  Matt,  xi.,  Joh.  x.    Let  this  glass  and 

John  X. 


SERMONS   UVON  JONAS. 


505 


mirror  of  Jonas  suffice  us  to  behold  another  man's  evil 
in,  before  we  feel  the  like  ourselves.  We  have  seen  the 
disobedience  of  Jonas  and  the  pain  thereof ;  we  have  seen 
his  amendment  and  pensiveness,  and  the  fruit  thereof,  his 
deliverance  and  salvation.  Let  us  also  now  gee  how  much 
he  hath  profited  and  learned  in  God's  school  under  the  rod 
of  adversity,  and  let  us  learn  to  do  the  same.  But  be- 
fore we  come  to  the  obedience  that  this  man  learned  in 
adversity,  we  will  pray  unto  God. 

We  be  come  so  far  as  the  text  hath  made  mention  of, 
the  restitution  of  Jonas  in  life  upon  the  dry  ground. 
And  now  foUoweth  his  second  legation  and  embassage  to 
Ninive.  But  for  the  better  understanding  of  all  things 
that  follow,  I  will  divide  the  chapter  into  his  parts,  which 
are  four. 

The  first  containeth  the  commandment  of  God  to  Jonas  : 
the  second,  Jonas'  obedience  :  the  third,  the  repentance  of 
the  Ninivites  :  the  fourth,  the  mercy  and  compassion  of  God 
towards  the  penitent  and  sorrowful  Ninivites. 

THE  FIRST  PART. 

The  word  of  God  came  the  second  time  to  Jonas 
after  this  sort :  Rise,  go  to  Ninive,  that  great 
city,  and  preach  in  it  the  preaching  that  I  have 
spoken  unto  thee  of. 

That  Jonas  goeth  not  to  the  city  to  preach  of  his  own 
head,  but  tarrieth  to  be  called  unto  it  by  God,  we  learn, 
no  man  should  wish  or  desire  for  any  office  or  vocation 
to  a  private  commodity  and  his  own  lucre,  but  to  tarry 
till  God  call  him  to  it ;  chiefly  the  office  of  a  bishop  or 
preacher. 

For  that  office  hath  so  many  difficulties,  labours,  and 
dangers,  that  in  case  the  man  that  is  in  it  be  not  well 
persuaded  that  he  came  to  it  by  the  calling  of  God, 
he  shall  never  be  able  to  endure  the  troubles  annexed  to 
the  vocation :  as  the  perfect  man's  tediousness  and  weari- 
ness therein  declareth  Jeremiah  xx.,  who  decreed  withjer.xx. 
himself  to  have  preached  no  more  because  of  the  malice 


506 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


[SEKM. 


of  the  people,  and  for  the  contempt  tliat  followed  him  in 
doing  of  his  vocation.  Even  so  is  the  office  of  a  good 
councillor  and  good  magistrate ;  that  in  case  he  look  not 
to  come  to  his  dignity  and  honour  for  ambition,  pride, 
and  private  lucre,  but  cometh  when  he  is  called  of  Grod, 
he  shall  find  so  many  labours  and  unquietness  in  his  vo- 
cation, that  doubtless,  were  it  not  for  God,  he  could  be 
glad  to  leave  it  to  another  man.  For  in  case  the  magis- 
trate do  any  thing  contrary  unto  God,  doubtless  he  shall 
fall  into  two  evils ;  first,  into  God's  displeasure,  and  then 
the  thing  he  doth  shall  never  prosper:  as  it  is  to  be  seen 
by  the  Israelites,  that  warred  before  they  were  commanded 

Numb.xiv.  by  God.  Numb.  xiv.  Let  no  man  therefore  run  into  an 
office  before  the  time  God  call  him,  neither  buy  himself 
into  that  office,  as  is  now-a-days  commonly  used :  for  I 
know  surely  he  that  buyeth  will  sell,  and  never  do  God, 
the  king,  neither  the  subjects,  good  service,  but  dishonour 
the  first,  and  rob  the  other. 

That  Jonas  is  bid  to  rise  and  go  to  Ninive,  in  that 
is  declared,  that  of  all  things  in  every  vocation  idleness  and 
sloth  must  be  chiefly  avoided,  and  labours  exercised,  the 
which  if  we  leave  undone,  being  works  annexed  with  our 
vocation,  we  declare  ourselves  unmeet  for  the  room  and 
vocation  we  be  appointed  unto.  In  case  any  man  had  a 
servant  appointed  to  dress  his  meat  in  the  kitchen,  or  to 
keep  his  horse  in  the  stable,  and  yet  would  neglect  the  labours 
and  pains  that  the  offices  ordinarily  and  of  duty  required, 
who  gladly  would  be  contented  with  such  a  servant,  or 
desire  he  should  be  preferred  to  any  office  in  his  house? 
Therefore  commandeth  St  Paul,  "  That  he  that  will  not 

[2TJiess.iii.]  labour  should  not  eat."    1  Thess.  iv. 

The  third  doctrine  of  this  first  part  declared,  foras- 
much as  it  behoveth  every  man  to  avoid  idleness  in  his 
vocation,  it  might  be  demanded,  what  should  a  man  do 
to  satisfy  his  vocation  ?  It  is  told  Jonas  in  this  place : 
"  Preach,"  saith  the  text.  He  sayeth  not,  take  the  regiment 
and  governance  of  the  commonwealth ;  but  preach.  Of 
these  words  we  learn,  that  every  man  is  bound  to  do  the 
works  of  the  vocation  he  beareth  the  name  of ;  and  not 
to  meddle  with  other  men's  labours.  It  is  not  the  office 
of  the  bishop  to  play  the  king  and  lord,  nor  the  king's 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


507 


part  to  play  the  bishop  :  for  the  king's  office  is  enough 
for  a  king,  and  the  bishop's  office  enough  for  a  bishop. 
Let  them  do  the  best  they  can,  and  study  each  of  them 
in  their  office.  But  let  the  king  take  heed  he  be  able  to 
judge,  whether  the  bishop  do  true  service  to  God  in  his 
vocation  by  the  word  of  God :  and  let  the  bishop  do  the 
same;  take  heed  whether  the  king  or  council  would  com- 
mand him  to  do  any  thing  contrary  to  the  works  of  his 
vocation,  which  is  to  preach  God's  word :  in  case  he  do, 
with  knowledge  and  soberness  to  admonish  him,  and  to  bring 
him  to  a  better  mind.  If  thou  be  a  judge,  remember  thy 
name,  and  do  the  works  of  right  judgment :  if  a  justice, 
do  according  to  thy  name  :  if  a  merchant,  buy  and  sell 
truly :  if  any  other  subject,  do  according  to  the  name 
thou  bearest,  as  our  subjects  of  England  of  late  did  never 
a  whit.  For  master  parson  and  an  old  wife  taught  them 
to  forget  the  duties  of  true  and  godly  subjects,  and  would 
have  made  them  all  kings;  but  the  Lord  cast  them  into 
the  sea.  This  duty  of  each  man  is  handsomely  set  forth 
by  certain  pictures  in  the  town-house  at  Basil,  in  this 
verse:  Tu  supplex  or  a,  tu  regna,  tuque  labora^.  There 
be  three  images  ;  the  one  of  the  pope,  the  other  of  the 
emperor,  the  third  of  a  ploughman :  and  the  verse  teacheth 
all  three  their  duties.  He  biddeth  the  pope  "  pray ;"  the 
emperor  to  "reign  ;'"  and  the  ploughman  to  "labour."  Let 
therefore  all  bishops  and  priests  know,  their  office  is  to 
preach  and  pray.  This  I  say,  God  to  record,  of  no  hatred, 
but  of  love ;  for  I  am  afraid  of  God's  threatenings  and 
vengeance  toward  them,  if  they  amend  not ;  for  God  saith 
he  will  require  the  blood  of  the  people  at  the  bishop's 
hand,  Ezech.  iii.  xxxiii. ;  and  Paul  sayeth,  "  Woe  be  unto  Ezek.  iii. 

.  XXXlll. 

me  if  I  preach  not !"    1  Cor.  ix.  i  cor.  ix. 

Here  might  the  bishop  or  the  parson,  peradventure, 
partly  excuse  themselves,  and  say :  "I  know  my  fault, 
and  would  gladly  amend  it,  if  I  could;  but  I  am  so  old 
I  cannot  preach,  nor  never  used  myself  thereunto."  I 
would  advise  hira,  then,  to  follow  the  doings  of  Valerius, 
the  bishop  of  Hipponensis,  that  in  his  old  and  latter  days, 
perceiving  his  age  could  not  satisfy  the  labours  due  unto 
his  vocation,  associated  to  himself  a  companion  and  co- 
P  Do  thou  pray,  thou  rule,  and  thou  labour.] 


508 


SERMON'S    UPON  JONAS. 


adjutor,  even  Saint  Augustine  \  as  he  testifieth,  Epist.  cxlviii. 
In  the  beginning  of  that  epistle  thus  he  writeth :  "  Before 
all  things  I  would  your  godly  prudence  should  think,  in 
this  our  time,  nothing  to  be  more  acceptable,  facile,  or 
more  desired  of  men,  than  the  office  of  a  bishop,  priest, 
or  deacon,  if  their  office  be  slightly  and  slenderly  used; 
but  with  God  nothing  is  more  damnable,  miserable,  or 
sorrowful."  The  same  knew  Samuel :  for  in  his  age 
he  instituted  his  sons  to  help  and  ease  the  intolerancy  and 
importance  of  his  office.  So  I  would  every  bishop  and 
parson,  that  for  age  or  lack  of  learning  cannot  do  his 
office,  should  institute  and  take  unto  him  some  wise  and 
learned  preacher  to  help  him,  and  not  a  singer,  as  now 
is  used. 

If  this  counsel  and  doings  of  the  godly  men  rehearsed 
before  like  them  not,  let  them  devise  some  other  like; 
and  all  is  one  to  me,  so  they  eschew  the  ire  of  God : 
for,  doubtless,  it  is  horrible,  to  fall  in  this  part  into  the 
hands  of  God ;  for  what  shall  it  avail  them  to  win  all 
the  world,  and  lose  their  own  souls?  I  would  likewise 
pray  and  admonish  the  magistrates  to  see  the  schools 
better  maintained ;  for  the  lack  of  them  shall  bring  blind- 
ness into  this  church  of  England  again.  And  such  as  be 
the  patrons  and  givers  of  benefices,  let  them  take  heed 
they  give  and  bestow  them  upon  worthy  men,  and  sell  them 
not  to  asses  and  blind  block-headed  fellows  ;  for  if  they 
bestow  their  benefices  for  lucre  or  affection  to  such  as 
cannot,  or  will  not,  feed  with  the  word  of  God  the  people 
of  his  cure,  the  patron  shall  die  eternally  for  it,  as  well 
as  his  blind  and  naughty  curate,  parson,  or  vicar. 

The  fourth  doctrine  of  this  first  part  is  very  necessary. 
For  when  the  bishops  and  priests  hear  their  office  is  to 
preach,  then  think  they,  But  what  we  preach,  it  is  no  matter, 
it  lieth  in  our  arbitrement  and  pleasure.    Nay,  sayeth  the 

[}  Augustinus  Valerio  episcopo  suo,  cui  erat  collega,  prsesertim  in 
dispensando  verbo  Dei,  &e.  Ante  omnia  peto  ut  cogitet  religiosa 
prudentia  tua,  nihil  esse  in  hac  vita,  et  maxime  hoc  tempore,  facilius 
et  Isetius  et  hominibus  acceptabilius  episcopi  aut  presbyteri  aut  dia- 
eoni  officio,  si  perfunctorie  atque  adulatorie  res  agatur;  sed  nihil 
apud  Deum  miserius  et  tristius  et  damnabilius.  Aug.  Op.  Bas.  1541. 
Tom.  II.  Ep.  cxlviii.  col.  686.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


50.9 


text,  Preach  that  I  bid  thee ;  and  so  saith  Saint  Peter,  i  pct.  iv. 

T   T)  ■     •       Ti/r  ii.  •••  Matt,  xxviii. 

1  Pet.  IV.  Matt,  xxvni. 

In  this  vocation  of  preaching  the  preacher  should  so 
use  himself,  as  he  might  say  always,  "  My  doctrine  is  not 
my  doctrine,  but  his  that  hath  sent  me."  For  it  is  God's 
word  and  his  law,  that  turneth  the  hearts  of  people  to 
repentance.  Psal.  xix.  cxix.  For  the  word  of  God  written  Ps.xix.exix. 
is  as  perfect  as  God  himself,  and  is  indeed  able  to  make 
a  man  perfect  in  all  things,  2  Tim.  iii. :  wherefore  it  needeth  2  Tim.  iii. 
not  that  blasphemous  and  stinking  help  of  the  bishop  of 
Rome,  that  durst  say,  The  law  of  God  is  not  of  itself, 
but  by  his  interpretation,  wholesome  and  sufficient.  But 
by  this  means  he  got  authority  over  the  scripture  to  bury 
it,  and  to  stablish  what  he  would,  were  it  never  so  devilish 
and  heretical.  Therefore  let  such  as  be  of  God  do  as  they 
have  in  commission  from  him,  and  not  as  they  please 
themselves ;  for  if  they  do,  they  be  of  the  devil,  and  not 
of  Christ. 


THE  OBEDIENCE  OF  JONAS. 

Then  Jonas  arose,  and  went  to  Ninive,  at  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord. 

Jonas,  now  being  an  obedient  servant,  looketh  no  more 
for  a  ship  to  fly,  but  goeth  the  next  way  whither  he  is 
commanded,  though  the  journey  was  painful  and  dangerous 
to  the  flesh.  But  the  cross  of  trouble  is  not  unprofitable 
to  the  Christians:  it  mortifieth  the  flesh,  so  that  in  the 
afflicted  dwelleth  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  it  exerciseth  the  faith, 
and  proveth  obedience :  as  David  saith,  "  Well  it  is  with 
me  that  thou  hast  chastened  me,  Lord,  that  I  may  learn 
thy  commandments."  Both  good  and  bad  are  afflicted  in 
this  world  ;  but  the  good  thereby  is  amended,  and  the  evil 
is  apeyred,  and  so  they  perish  in  their  trouble.  David 
was  amended  herewith.  2  Regum  xii.  xxiv.  So  was  Eze- 2Sam.  xii. 
chias.  Esay  xxxviii.  So  was  Daniel.  Dan.  ix.  These  and  Isai.  xxxviii. 
like  unto  them  be  chastened  in  the  world,  because  they 
should  not  be  damned  with  the  world.  The  evil  with  afflic- 
tion be  not  amended,  but  indurated  and  hardened  through 
their  own  malice  and  obstinacy,  as  Saul  and  Pharao ;  and 


510  SERMONS   UPON   JONAS.  [sERM. 

the  pains  and  torments  here  be  the  beginning  of  the  pains 
eternal.    This  diversity  and  contrary  effect  of  persecution 
Psal.  Ixxv.  godly  setteth  forth  the  holy  prophet  David,  Psalm  Ixxv. ; 

wonderful  godly.  The  which  psalm  I  would  all  bishops 
should  read,  that  knoweth  the  truth,  and  yet  will  take 
no  pains  to  set  it  forth,  but  live  idle;  and  such  as 
have  no  learning  to  set  it  forth,  or  of  malice  whister'  and 
secretly  hindereth  the  setting  forth  of  it:  for,  doubtless, 
at  length  they  shall  not  only  drink  of  the  wine  of  adversity, 
but  be  compelled  to  drink  dregs  and  all.  So  shall  all  these 
ravening  and  covetous  noblemen,  that  with  injuries  and 
wrongs  now  afflict  the  poor;  at  length  they  shall  be  most 
afflicted  themselves.  So  shall  the  avaricious  judge,  the  covet- 
ous merchant,  and  the  traitorous  and  seditious  subject. 
But  I  rede  you  be  wise  in  time ;  and  as  ye  have  followed 
this  rebel  Jonas  in  evil,  so  follow  him  in  the  good,  and 
amend :  if  not,  the  king's  majesty  must  cast  you  into  the  sea. 

The  obedience  of  Jonas  is  set  forth  and  commended 
with  many  circumstances,  and  should  therefore  the  better 
be  noted.  First,  because  he  went  the  next  way  to  Ninive, 
and  hired  none  other,  nor  substituted  his  suffragan,  nor 
went  not  into  Samaria  to  ask  counsel  at  his  friends  what 
was  best  to  do,  but  went  straightway  himself.  The  second 
circumstance  is  worthy  annotation :  that  he  did  all  things 
as  the  Lord  bad  him.  Wherein  we  are  taught  to  be  diligent 
we  see  all  our  doings,  acts,  and  obedience  to  be  according 
and  as  the  word  of  God  biddeth.  There  is  put  in,  as 
though  it  were  by  a  parenthesis,  the  description  of  Ninive. 

And  Ninive  was  a  great  city  to  the  Lord,  of  three 
days'  journey 

This  description  setteth  forth  the  obedience  of  Jonas, 
that  diligently  preached  thorough  the  whole  city  the  pleasure 
of  God,  that  it  should  be  destroyed  within  forty  days.  The 
city  is  called  great  unto  God,  that  is  to  say,  a  very  great 
city,  as  the  cedar  of  God,  the  mount  of  God,  &c. :  or 
else  it  is  called  the  city  of  God,  for  the  wonderful  respect 
and  pity  that  the  Lord  had  in  the  saving  of  it.  Whether 
the  city  were  three  days'  journey  about,  or  else  three  days' 
p  Whister  :  probably  silence,  fvom  whist  or  histr\ 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


511 


space  to  visit  all  the  streets  thereof,  it  is  not  agreed  yet 
upon  among  all  writers ;  but  this  we  know,  it  was  a  notable 
city,  and  among  all  cities  in  the  east  of  most  famous  report. 

Now  it  foUoweth  what  Jonas  did  after  he  entered  into 
the  city. 

When  Jonas  had  entered  the  city  one  day's  journey, 
he  cried  and  said,  Within  this  forty  days  Ninive 
shall  be  destroyed. 

Of  this  text  we  learn,  that  Jonas  lived  not  idle  after 
he  came  to  the  place  whither  he  was  sent  by  God,  but 
that  he  walked  abroad  and  cried.  So  should  every  man 
that  is  called  to  the  office  of  a  bishop  or  pastor.  It  is  not 
enough  he  go  to  his  diocese  or  parsonage,  but  that  he  must 
-walk  abroad  there,  and  cry  out  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord ;  or  else  they  be,  with  all  their  title,  glory,  pomp, 
and  name,  dumb  dogs,  subject  unto  the  vengeance  and 
plague  of  God.  And  this  is  the  mark  thou  shouldest  know 
a  bishop  and  priest  by ;  by  his  tongue,  that  soundeth  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  not  by  his  cap  or  outward  vesture. 
So  should  the  judge  go  abroad  in  his  country,  and  speak 
and  declare  everywhere  justice  :  so  should  the  provost,  heads 
of  colleges,  masters  of  schools,  go  and  teach  the  thing  ap- 
pertaineth  to  their  place  and  vocation. 

The  text  maketh  mention  of  the  sum  and  principal  state 
of  his  sermon,  that  is,  that  the  city  should  be  destroyed 
within  forty  days ;  and  that  spake  he  simply  and  plainly 
without  condition  or  gloss.  Yet  may  we  easily  gather  of 
the  long  time  of  forty  days  that  was  given  unto  it,  that 
it  was  reversed  unto  penance^  and  amendment  of  life  ;  and 
God  would  rather  at  this  time  fray  them  to  make  them 
amend,  than  to  punish  them  and  lose  them  for  ever,  and 
would  pierce  thus  their  minds,  and  bring  them  to  a  know- 
ledge of  their  sins.  And  as  subversion  and  destruction 
was  threatened  unto  this  Ninive,  so  is  it  to  this  whole 
realm.  For  there  is  among  us  as  great  and  as  many  sins 
(God  give  grace  there  be  no  greater  nor  no  more ! )  as 
were  among  them :  we  must,  then,  amend,  or  else  we  shall 
perish  every  each  one,  Luke  xiii. ;  but  what  time,  the  Lord  Luke  xiii. 

['■^  Repentance.] 


512 


SERMON'S    UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


knoweth,  and  not  I. — Now  it  followeth  how  the  preaching 
of  Jonas  was  accepted. 

And  the  people  of  Ninive  believed  God,  and  pro- 
claimed fasting,  and  arrayed  themselves  in  sack- 
cloth, as  well  the  great  as  the  small  of  them. 

Out  of  this  text  is  first  to  be  noted,  how  that  the 
Ninivites  resisted  not  the  preaching  of  Jonas,  when  they 
had  yet,  if  they  would  have  excused  their  evil,  many  re- 
fuges and  pretexts.  Their  obedience  to  the  word  of  God 
condemneth  both  the  Jews  and  us  of  obstinacy  and  malice. 

First,  they  might  have  pretended,  '  This  J onas  is  but 
one  man ;  therefore  not  to  be  credited.'  Second,  '  He  is 
a  stranger,  and  speaketh  it  of  hatred  unto  us,  and  of  affec- 
tion towards  his  own  country.'  Third,  '  He  is  of  a  con- 
trary religion  to  ours,  and  would  deceive  us  from  our  fathers' 
faith.'  Fourth,  '  He  is  no  king,  but  a  man  that  seemeth 
to  have  little  wit  and  less  experience.'  Fifth,  '  He  is  one 
contemned  of  his  own  countrymen,  and  cannot  be  heard  of 
them :  and  should  we  credit  his  words  V  Sixth,  '  He  is 
a  naughty  liver,  and  one  that  God  hateth  and  hath  pun- 
ished ;  and  should  we  pass  of  his  sayings  ?'  But  they  re- 
membered their  own  faults.  At  the  preaching  of  one  day 
they  amended ;  they  never  looked  for  miracle.  They  pre- 
tended not  the  antiquity  and  ancientness  of  their  city,  that 
Gen.  X.      had  stood  almost  from  the  tinie  of  the  flood.    Gen.  x. 

They  that  heard  him  never  desired'  their  amendment  until 
such  time  as  the  king,  the  priests,  and  the  other  elders 
of  the  city,  had  agreed  whether  Jonas'  doctrine  were  true 
or  not.  Of  this  facility  and  quickness  of  belief  in  the  Nini- 
vites we  may  see,  that  sooner  believeth  the  very  infidels 
the  word  of  God,  than  such  as  beareth  the  name  of  God 
and  be  brought  up  in  superstition  :  and  that  I  think  were 
easy  to  be  seen,  if  experience  should  be  taken  to  preach 
at  Babylon  or  Constantinople,  he  should  rather  convert 
those  cities  than  Rome.  Farther,  their  promptness  con- 
demneth our  obstinacy  and  hardness  of  heart,  that  daily 
hear  the  word  of  God  preached,  and  yet  nothing  the  bet- 
ter nor  nearer  to  salvation. 

[}  Desired.    Perhaps,  deferred.'] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


513 


It  foUoweth,  what  the  Ninivites  do  when  they  be  con- 
verted. First,  they  beheve  in  the  Lord  ;  second,  they 
fast.  A  man  ignorant  of  God  offendeth  two  manner  of 
ways,  in  body  and  in  soul ;  and  both  these  offences  must 
be  amended,  if  we  will  be  reconciled  unto  God.  By  faith 
the  mind  is  reconciled  unto  God ;  and  by  abstinence  the 
body  is  kept  in  subjection,  and  the  wantonness  of  concu- 
piscence kept  in  obedience.  But  in  this  our  miserable  and 
cursed  time  of  God  for  sin,  is  great  question  and  contro- 
versy moved,  not  only  concerning  faith,  but  also  fasting; 
of  which  two  things  I  judge  it  meet  somewhat  to  be  spoken 
of.  As  touching  faith,  it  is  not  an  opinion  and  knowledge 
only,  but  a  vehement,  earnest,  and  certain  persuasion  of 
God's  promises  in  Christ :  and  out  of  this  faith  springeth 
all  godliness  and  virtuous  works ;  and  whatsoever  springeth 
not  hereof  is  sin.  And  this  faith  the  almighty  God  con- 
firmeth  in  his  true  and  virtuous  people  two  manner  of  ways, 
inwardly  and  outwardly  :  inwardly,  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  testifieth  by  his  Spirit  with  our  spirit,  that  we  be 
the  children  of  God ;  outwardly,  by  preaching  of  God"'s 
word,  and  ministration  of  the  sacraments. 

The  preaching  contain  the  innumerable  benefits  and  pro- 
mises of  God  made  in  the  new  testament  and  the  old  unto 
us  in  Christ,  who  is  the  seed  that  should  and  doth  tread 
and  break  the  head  of  the  serpent.    Gen.  iii.  John  iii.  ' 

The  sacraments  be  as  visible  words  offered  unto  the 
eyes  and  other  senses,  as  the  sweet  sound  of  the  word 
to  the  ear,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  heart.  The  number  of 
these  sacraments  in  the  public  ministry  of  the  church  be 
two ;  one  of  baptism,  and  the  other  of  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
and  both  these  teach  and  confirm  none  other  thing  than 
that  the  mercy  of  God  saveth  the  faithful  and  believers. 

Therefore  is  the  bread  in  the  holy  supper  called  the 
body  of  Christ,  and  the  wine  the  blood  of  Christ,  because 
they  be  sacraments  and  seals  of  God's  promises  in  Christ. 
This  plain  and  simple  doctrine  of  the  sacraments  were  suf- 
ficient, if  fraud,  guile,  treason,  heresy,  superstition,  pa- 
pistry, ignorancy,  arrogancy,  misery,  and  the  malice  of 
men  would  suffer  it.  But  these  evils  afore  rehearsed 
have  called  into  question  and  controversy,  whether  carnally, 
corporally,  and  really,  the  precious  body  of  Christ  be  pre- 

[hooper. J 


514 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


sent ;  and  how  the  communion  and  sacrament  of  his  body 
should  be  ministered  and  used  :  for  the  resokition  and  an- 
swering unto  the  which  questions,  I  will  sincerely  and  plainly 
shew  my  mind  according  to  the  word  of  God. 

Of  the  presence   of  Christ's  body- 
in  the  sacrament. 

I  will  not  in  this  question  say  as  much  as  I  would  or 
could,  because  of  late  days,  in  this  place,  it  was  godly  and 
learnedly  touched.  But  yet  somewhat  must  I  say,  because 
the  ignorance  of  it  bringeth  idololatry,  idololatry  bringeth 
eternal  damnation,  eternal  damnation  cometh  not  only  to 
the  ignorant,  but  also  unto  him  that  should  in  his  voca- 
tion remove  (or  do  his  good  will  'to  remove)  the  ignorancy. 
I  am  appointed  to  remove  ignorancy :  thus  therefore,  I 
pray  you,  hear  how  ye  may  remove  it.  I  will  keep  this 
order.  First,  I  will  shew  by  many  arguments,  that  there 
is  no  corporal  presence  of  Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament; 
then  will  I  answer  to  the  arguments  of  the  adversaries 
that  would  have  it  here. 

The  first  argument. 

This  I  take  of  the  name  of  Christ'^s  body,  which  is 
Heb.ii.      like  unto  ours  in  all  things  except  sin;  Heb.  ii.  Esa.  hii. ; 

and  in  case  it  were  not  in  all  things  like  unto  ours,  (ex- 
cept sin  and  immortality,)  Saint  Paul's  argument  would  prove 
1  Cor.  XV.  nothing.  1  Cor.  xv.  But  our  bodies  be,  one  to  each  one, 
measured  certainly  with  quantity  and  quality,  and  occupy 
at  one  time  one  place  ;  therefore  so  doeth  and  ever  hath 
done  Christ's  body.  And  thus  would  Paul  prove  our  re- 
surrection, because  our  bodies  be  as  Christ's  is,  that  is  risen, 
except  sin  and  immortality.  After  that  they  say,  Christ 
hath  now  a  glorified  body,  and  so  we  have  not,  it  maketh 
nothing  for  their  purpose  :  for  when  Christ  made  his  supper, 
and  instituted  the  sacrament  of  his  death,  he  was  a  mortal 
and  passible  man,  subject  unto  the  tyranny  and  violence  of 
his  adversaries ;  yea,  after  his  immortality  he  shewed  mani- 
fest tokens  and  arguments  of  his  pure,  true,  and  sensible 
johnxxi.  humanity,  John  xxi.  1  John  i.,  for  the  apostles'  fingers 
Phil.  iii'.     touched  him.    Farther,  Saint  Paul  saith,  he  shall,  Phil.  iii. 


.SKRMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


515 


that  Christ  shall  make  our  bodies  like  unto  his  glorious 
body.  Therefore  they  do  destroy  the  true  and  very  hu- 
manity of  Christ's  body,  that  say  his  body  is  in  many  places 
at  one  time,  which  robbeth  his  body  of  all  the  qualities,  quan- 
tities, and  properties  of  a  true  body.  For  the  scripture 
of  God  confesseth  that  Christ's  body  is  but  in  one  place  ; 
and  many  of  the  popes'  canons  confirm  the  same.  Thus 
it  is  written :  De  consecrat.  distinct,  ii.  Prima  quidem. 
Donee  swcitlum  finiatur,  sursum  Dominus  est.  Sed  tamen  hie 
nohiscum  est  Veritas  Domini.  Corpus  enim  in  quo  resurrexit 
in  uno  loco  esse  oportet:  Veritas  autem  ejus  uhique  diffma  est^  : 
that  is  to  say,  "  Till  the  world  be  ended,  the  Lord  is  above ; 
but  notwithstanding  his  truth  is  here  with  us.  The  body 
in  which  he  rose  must  be  in  one  place,  and  his  verity  is 
dispersed  every  where." 

The  second  reason. 

This  is  taken  out  of  the  nature  and  condition  of  a 
sacrament,  which  is  this.  That  the  thing  that  is  remem- 
bered by  the  sacrament  be  itself  absent,  and  yet  the  signs 
or  sacraments  take  the  name  and  nomination  of  the  thing 
represented  and  signified  by  the  signs,  for  a  declaration  of 
the  thing  that  is  done  with  the  signs. 

So  is  it  in  all  the  sacraments  of  the  old  testament 
and  the  new ;  therefore,  also  in  this  sacrament.  The  thing 
itself  in  this  sacrament,  that  is,  to  wit,  the  precious  body 
of  Christ  broken,  and  his  innocent  blood  shed,  be  absent ; 
yet  be  the  bread  and  the  wine  called  the  body  broken, 
and  the  blood-shedding,  according  to  the  nature  of  a  sacra- 
ment, to  set  forth  the  better  the  thing  done  and  signified 
by  the  sacrament.  There  is  done  in  the  sacrament  the 
memory  and  remembrance  of  Christ's  death,  which  was  done 
on  the  cross,  when  his  precious  body  and  blood  was  rent 
and  torn,  shed  and  poured  out  for  our  sins. 

With  this  agreeth  the  mind  of  Saint  Augustine^ :  Ad 
Bonifaciwm,  Epist.  xxiii.  Si  enim  sacramenta  quandam  simi- 
litudinem  earum  rerum  quarum  sacramenta  sunt  non  haberent, 
omnino  sacramenta  non  essent :  that  is  to  say,  "  If  sacraments 
had  not  some  proportion  and  likeness  of  the  things  whereof 

['  Corp.  Jur.  Can.  Deer.  3  Pars.  De  consecrat.  Dist.  2.  c.  44.,  quoted 
from  Aug] 

Aug.  Op.  Basili;p,  1541.  Tom.  ii.  Ep.  23.  col.  93.] 

33—2 


516  SEEMONS   UPON   JONAS.  [sERM. 

they  be  sacraments,  they  were  no  sacraments  at  all.  And 
thus  rather  of  the  similitude  and  signification  of  the  thing 
they  represent  and  signify  they  take  the  name,  and  not 
that  in  deed  they  be  as  they  be  named." 

So  after  this  manner  is  the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body 
called  Christ's  body  ;  and  the  sacraments  of  Christ's  blood 
called  Christ's  blood ;  and  the  sacrament  of  faith  is  called 
faith.  As  Saint  Augustine^  learnedly  and  godly  saith  in 
the  same  argument,  Accedat  verlwm  ad  elementum,  et  fit 
sacramentum.  Non  ait,  Tollat  elementum,  et  fit  sacramentum : 
that  is  to  say,  "  Let  the  word  come  unto  the  element,  and 
then  is  made  the  sacrament."  He  sayeth  not.  Let  the  word 
change  or  transubstantiate  the  element,  (that  is  to  say,  the 
substance  and  matter  of  the  sacrament,)  and  then  is  made 
the  sacrament. 

The  third  reason. 

If  he  were  here  in  the  sacrament  bodily  and  corporally, 
he  should  every  day  suffer  and  shed  his  precious  blood.  For 
the  scripture  saith,  "  This  is  my  body  that  is  broken  for  you, 
and  my  blood  that  is  shed  for  you :"  Luke  xxii.  1  Cor.  xi. 
but  this  is  not  true  that  he  daily  suffereth  pain  and  passion, 
Rom.  vi. ;  no  more  is  it  true  that  he  is  in  the  sacrament 
bodily,  for  heaven  keepeth  him  till  the  last  day.  Acts  iii. 
Neither  yet  is  the  bread  after  consecration  his  very  body, 
1  Cor.  xi.  nor  the  wine  his  blood,  Matt.  xxvi. ;  but  the 
bread  remaineth  still  bread,  and  the  wine  still  wine,  after 
the  word  spoken,  as  they  were  before,  concerning  their 
substance,  but  the  use  of  them  be  changed. 

The  fourth  reason. 

The  scripture  maketh  no  mention  but  of  one  ascen- 
sion, and  of  two  comings ;  one  past,  and  the  other  we  look 
for  in  the  end  of  the  world,  at  the  latter  judgment. 

If  their  doctrine  were  true,  there  should  be  infinite 
ascensions,  and  infinite  descensions.  Farther,  they  cannot 
tell  themselves,  what  is  become  of  the  body  they  feign  to 
have  in  the  sacrament,  when  the  accidents  and  qualities 
corrupt  and  be  consumed. 

\}  Augustine's  words  are,  Accedit  verbum  ad  elementum,  et  fit 
sacramentum  etiam  ipsum  tanquam  visibile  verbum.  Aug.  Op.  Basilise, 
1541.  Tom.  IX.    In  Johan.  Evang.  cap.  15.  Tr,  80.  co.  445.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


517 


Their  gloss  upon  the  canon,  Trihus  gradibus^,  ait  avo- 
lare  in  coelum^:  that  is  to  say,  "It  flieth  into  heaven"; 
but  we  say,  he  was  there  before.  They  dare  not  say  it 
corrupteth,  nor  that  it  is  turned  into  the  substance  of  our 
bodies  and  souls  :  what  is  there  then  become  of  this  body  \ 

The  fifth  reason. 

God  had  made,  by  this  mean,  his  church  in  danger,  and 
subject  unto  idololatry.  For  there  be  many  chances  and 
cases  happen,  that  may  let  the  priest  to  consecrate ;  and 
then  should  the  people  worship  an  idol  for  lack  of  the 
presence  of  Chrisfs  body. 

These  dangers  may  chance  three  manner  of  ways  :  in 
the  priest ;   in  the  words ;   and  in  the  matter. 

The  priest,  if  he  be  not  lawfully  consecrated,  if  he  be 
an  heretic,  one  excommunicated,  or  a  simoniac,  he  conse- 
crateth  not.  Magister  Sententiarum,  Lib.  iv.  dist.  xiii\ 
See  the  gloss  De  consecrat.  dist.  ii.  cap.  Quid  sit  sanguis^. 

\^  Corp.  Juris  Canon.  Deer.  8  Pars,  De  consecrat.  Dist.  2.  can.  23.] 
P  In  the  ordinary  gloss  upon  this  canon  these  words  occur: 
Certum  est  quod  species  quam  cito  dentibus  teruntur,  tam  cito  in 
coelum  rapitur  corpus  Christi.   Decretum  Gratiani,  Antverpiae,  1573, 
CO.  2011.  A. 

AlcuinuSj  citante  Gregorio,  inquit :  Uno,  eodemque  tempore  ac  mo- 
mento  in  ccelo  rapitur  ministerio  angelorum  corpori  Christi  consoci- 
andum,  et  ante  oculos  sacerdotis  in  altari  videtur.  See  Decreti  3 
Pars,  De  Consecrat.  Dist.  2.  can.  73.] 

Illi  vero  qui  excommunieati  sunt,  vel  de  hseresi  manifesto  notati, 
non  videntur  hoc  sacramentum  posse  conficere,  licet  sacerdotes  sint  •  *  «  • 
Missa  enim  dicitur  eo  quod  coelestis  nuncius  ad  consecrandum  vivi- 
ficum  corpus  adveniat,  juxta  dictum  sacerdotis  dicentis,  Omnipotens 
Deus,  jube  haec  perferri  per  manus  sancti  angeli  tui  in  sublime  altare 
tuuiji,  &c.  Idcirco  nisi  angelus  venerit,  missa  nequaquam  jure  vocari 
potest.  Nunquid  enim,  si  hoc  mysterium  hsereticus  ausus  fuerit  usurpare, 
angelum  de  coelo  mittit  Deus  ohlationem  ejus  consecrare?  *  *  *  Ex  his 
coUigitur,  quod  haereticus  a  catholica  ecclesia  prsecisus  nequeat  hoc 
sacramentum  conficere;  quia  sancti  angeli,  qui  hujus  mysterii  cele- 
brationi  assistunt,  tunc  non  adsunt,  quando  haereticus  vel  schismaticus 
hoc  mysterium  temerarie  celebrare  praesumit.  Pet.  Lombard.  Lugduni, 
1570.    Lib.  IV.  Distinct.  13.  fo.  317.J 

[®  In  the  canon  Quid  sit  sanguis,  it  is  written :  "  Calix  enim  quem 
sacerdos  catholicus^sacrificat,"  &c.  the  gloss  upon  which  is,  Catholictts. 
Hinc  collige  sacerdotem  non  catholicum  corpus  homini  conficere  non 
posse.    Decretum  Gratiani.  Antv.  1573.  co.  2043.  A.] 


518 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


In  the  words  of  consecration  there  is  no  less  danger 
and  doubt.  .  First,  many  of  their  writers  be  ignorant  with 
what  words  Christ  consecrated.  Johanes  Duns^  and  Pope 
Innocent  the  third  ^  {Libra  de  Officio  Missce,  part  iii.  cap.  vi. 
xiv.)  do  say  the  consecration  to  be  comprehended  in  this  word 
Benedixit.  Comestor  doubteth  the  gloss  upon  this  canon, 
TJtrum  sub  figura/"^  where  as  the  glossator  interpreteth  these 
words  in  the  canon  of  the  mass,  Juhe  hcec  perferri  ;  that 
is  to  say,  "  Command  these  things  to  be  carried,"  as  though 
they  were  the  words  of  consecration.  The  which  opinion 
the  Master  of  the  Sentence  seemeth  to  favour  in  the  place 
afore  named  :  "  If  an  heretic,"  saith  he,  "  would  take  upon 
him  to  usurp  this  mystery,  would  God  send  an  angel  from 

['  See  Joli.  Duns  Scotus,  Lib.  iv.  Distin.  viii.  Queest.  ii.  f'ol.  41.  &c. 
Parisiis,  J.  Granion.] 

P  Quando  Christus  confecit,  et  qua  sub  forma.  Cap.  vi.  Bene- 
dixit. Cum  ad  prolationem  verborum  istorum,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum, 
hie  est  sanguis  mens,  sacerdos  conficiat,  credibile  judicatur,  quod  et 
Christus  eadem  verba  dicendo  confecit.  Porro  quidam  dixerunt  quod 
Christus  confecit^  cum  benedixit,  literam  construentes  hoc  ordine : 
Accepit  panem,  benedixit ;  subaudiendum  est,  dicens,  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum,  et  tunc  fregit  et  dedit,  et  ait :  Accipite  et  comedite ;  et  iteravit, 
Hoc  est  corpus  meum.  Prius  ergo  protulit  ilia  verba,  ut  eis  vim 
conficiendi  tribueret;  deinde  protulit  eadem,  ut  Apostolos  formam  con- 
ficiendi  doceret.  Alii  vero  dixerunt  quod  et  sacramentum  confecit 
et  formam  instituit  post  benedictionem,  cum  dixit,  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum ;  intelligentes  illam  benedictionem  fuisse,  vel  aliquod  signum 
quod  super  panem  impressit,  vel  aliquod  verbum  quod  super  panem 
expressit.  Quibus  illud  videtur  obsistere,  quod  prius  fregerit  quam 
dixerit,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum.  Nec  etiam  est  credibile  quod  prius 
dederit  quam  confecerit.  Sane  dici  potest,  quod  Christus  virtute  divina 
confecit,  et  postea  formam  expressit,  sub  qua  posteri  benedicerent.  Ipse 
namque  per  se  virtute  propria  benedixit ;  nos  autem  ex  ilia  virtute 
quam  indidit  verbis. — Innoc.  III.  De  Sacro.  altaris  mysterio.  Antv. 
1545.  Lib.  IV.  cap.  vi.  fol.  166.] 

The  words  in  the  canon  are,  "Jube,  inquit,  hoc  perferri  per 
manus  angeli  tui  sancti  in  sublime  altare  tuum  in  conspectu  divinae 
majestatis  tuae."  The  gloss  upon  this  is,  "  Perferri.  id  est  transubstan- 
tiari;  vel,  perferri.  id  est,  sursum  elfem,  id  est,  converti  in  sanctum 
altare  tuum,  id  est,  corpus  tuum  super  clioros  angelorum  exaltatum. 
Sed  contra  videtur  quod  oratio  liaec  sit  superflua,  quia  haec  dicitur 
post  verba  quorum  virtute  conficitur  corpus  Cliristi,  &c.  Decretum 
Gratiani,  Decret.  3  Pars,  De  Consecrat.  Dint.  2.  co.  2041. — See  Comestor, 
Hist.  Schol.  fol.  237.  Paris.  1518.    See  also  Canon  Missse.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


519 


heaven  to  consecrate  his  oblation?^""  But  howsoever  they 
agree  upon  the  words  of  consecration,  there  is  yet  another 
rule  in  their  mass-books,  that  the  words  must  be  perfectly 
pronounced,  or  else  they  do  nothing.  How  should  this  be 
known,  when  they  speak  them  in  silence?*  Well,  grant 
they  would  cry  or  sing  them  out,  yet  so  might  they  else 
be  vain ;  for  there  is  also  required  the  intention  of  him  that 
will  consecrate. 

The  matter  must  be  such  bread  and  such  wine  as  the 
gloss speaketh  of.  Be  conse.  dist.  ii.  Sicut  non  sanctifi- 
cando ;  the  which  properties  if  they  be  absent,  nothing  is 
consecrated. 

The  sixth  reason. 

If  Christ  be  present  corporally,  then  shall  their  sacrifices 
-cease,  as  Saint  Paul  sayeth,  1  Cor.  xi.  "Ye  shall  shew  the  i  cor.  xi. 
Lords  death  till  he  come.""    He  cometh  after  their  belief 
and  learning ;  then  should  they  cease  from  sacrificing. 

The  seventh  reason. 
In  case  they-  could  dissolve  and  answer  to  every  one 
of  these  reasons,  yet  could  not  Christ's  body  be  in  the 
mass;  for  it  lacketh  the  word  of  God,  that  is  to  say, 
the  shewing  of  Chrisfs  death.  Farther,  the  mass  de- 
stroyeth  and  dishonoureth  the  institution  of  Christ. 

Solutions  of  their  arguments. 

These  I  will  comprehend  all  in  three  points.  First, 
they  contend  by  the  authority  of  the  fathers.  The  second, 
by  these  words  of  Christ,  "  This  is  my  body.""  The  third, 
by  the  omnipotency  of  God. 

See  Note  4,  page  517.] 

P  This  refers  to  the  Romish  method  of  performing  certain  parts 
of  the  service  inaudibly.] 

\^  Sicut  non  sanctificando.  The  words  of  the  canon  are  :  "  Sic  (or 
sicut)  in  sanctificando  calicem  Domini  ofFerri  sola  aqua  minime  potest, 
quomodo  nec  vinum  solum  potest.  Nam  si,"  &c.  The  gloss  upon  which 
is :  "  Dicitur  in  hoc  cap.  quod  in  sacrificio  non  debet  ofFerri  vinum  sine 
aqua  nec  aqua  sine  vino ;  sed  simul  ilia  duo,  ut  perfectum  sit  sacri- 
ficium ;  sicut  corpus  Christi  non  de  farina  solum,  sed  de  pane  perfecto 
debet  confici."  Decretum  Gratiani.  Antverpis,  1573.  Decret.  3  Pars, 
De  Consecrat.  Dist.  2.  col.  2001.] 


520 


SERMONS  UPON  JONAS. 


Of  the  Fathers'  authority. 

When  they  be  beaten  by  the  authority  of  God's  word, 
they  flee  for  help  at  the  fathers'  authority.  Let  them 
make  answer  :  Is  this  their  opinion, — when  the  priest 
hath  spoken  these  words,  "  This  is  my  body ;"  by  and 
by  the  substance  of  the  bread  to  be  changed,  or  the  sub- 
stance thereof  to  vanish  away ;  (I  ask  the  question,  be- 
cause yet  they  be  not  fully  agreed  thereupon ;)  and  for  it 
Cometh  the  corporal  body  of  Christ  with  the  same  quality 
and  quantity  he  was  born,  lived,  and  died  in  ?  So  that 
there  hangs  in  the  air,  in  the  priest's  hands,  the  accidents 
and  qualities  of  bread,  without  any  substance,  and  so  thus 
to  be  honoured  there  of  the  people !  In  what  apostle's 
writings  find  they  this  doctrine  ?  Or  in  what  man's  writ- 
ings that  followed  the  apostles  within  one,  two,  three, 
four,  five,  six,  yea,  seven  hundred  years?  If  they  can 
shew  this  in  any  authentical  writer',  in  any  work  that 
hath  not  been  doubted  of,  I  will  believe  as  they  do.  But 
that  it  may  be  known  unto  you  that  the  fathers  were  not 
of  their  opinion,  I  will  propound  unto  you  certain  con- 
jectures. 

First :  We  read  not  where  there  was  ever  any  con- 
tention about  the  words  of  consecration,  where  they  began 
and  where  they  ended,  neither  any  thing  of  the  minister's 
intention,  to  be  of  such  virtue  they  speak  of. 

The  second  :  The  elders  never  answered  the  Arian 
that  denied  the  equality  between  God  the  Father  and 
God  the  Son  with  this,  '  Christ  is  God  and  equal  with 
the  Father,  for  we  so  honour  him  in  the  sacrament.'  If 
the  catholic  church  had  so  judged  of  Christ's  bodily  pre- 
sence in  the  sacrament,  as  the  new  upstart  church  doth, 
and  hath  done  of  late  years,  there  could  not  have  been 
a  stronger  argument  against  Arius  and  his  heresy. 

The  third  :  Neither  did  the  Marcionists  ever  make 
such  a  reason,  '  Though  Christ  seemed  to  have  the  qualities 
and  conditions  of  a  natural  man ;  yet  he  had  not  them 
indeed :  for  in  the  sacrament  of  his  body  there  seemeth 
to  be  the  very  qualities  and  conditions  of  bread  and  wine, 

[}  Many  editions  of  the  fathers  were  so  interpolated  by  the  papists, 
as  to  be  no  longer  "authentical."  See  James  on  the  Corruptions,  &c. 
and  other  writers.] 


SEEMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


521 


yet  is  there  neither  bread  nor  wine  indeed.'  If  this  opinion 
of  the  accidents,  quahties,  and  sensual  judgment of  the 
bread  had  been  approved  and  taken  in  those  days  for  Christi- 
anity and  christian  religion,  how  would  this  illusion  and 
witchcraft  have  defended,  I  pray  you,  the  Marcionist 
opinion^!  Doubtless,  nothing  more.  But  TertuUian*  against 
the  Marcionists  doth  reason  anotherwise,  saying,  "  Christ  of 
the  bread  that  he  took  made  his  body,  saying,  '  This  is 
my  body,'  that  is  to  say,  a  figure  of  my  body." 

The  fourth :  They  used  chalices  of  wood  and  glass. 
De  consecrat.  dist.  i.  Vasa  in  quibus^.  The  wooden 
chalice  could  soak  in  the  wine  consecrated ;  the  glassen 
chalices  might  soon  have  been  broken :  if  any  of  them 
both  had  contained  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  they 
would  not  so  temorously®  have  used  it. 

The  fifth :  The  sacrament  was  given  to  the  children 
in  their  hands  to  bear  it  home  with  them'.  Eccles.  Hist. 
Lib.  VII.  cap.  xxxiv. 

The  sixth:  No  scripture  of  God,  neither  doctor  of 
the  catholic  faith,  taught  ever  Christ  to  be  honoured  here 
in  earth  with  candles  and  bowings  of  knees. 

The  seventh :  In  celebrating  the  supper,  they  said, 
"Lift  up  your  hearts;""  meaning  not  to  have  the  mind 
affixed  in  the  signs  and  elements  of  the  sacraments,  but 
in  heaven.  Whereof  it  may  be  easily  gathered,  that  they 
never  thought  of  a  corporal  presence  here  in  the  earth. 

The  eighth :  Origen*,  upon  the  book  of  Leviticus,  de- 

P  Sensual  judgment:  judgment  according  to  the  senses.] 

P  Viz. — That  Christ  had  no  real  human  nature.] 

[*  Acceptum  panem  et  distributum  discipulis  corpus  suum  ilium 

fecit,  'Hoc  est  corpus  meum'  dicendo,  id  est,  figura  corporis  mei.  Ter- 

tul.  Adv.  Marc.  Paris.  1580.  Lib.  iv.  cap.  40,  p.  233.  C] 

Quondam  sacerdotes  aurei  ligneis  calicibus  utebantur;  nunc  e 

contrario  lignei  sacerdotes  aureis  utuntur  calicibus. — Zepherinus  xvi. 

Rom.  Epis.  patinis  vitreis  Missas  celebrari  constituit.    Corp.  Jur.  Can. 

Decret.  3  pars,  De  conse.  Dist.  i.  Can.  44.] 
Rashly.] 

[J  ^po-X"  "  '''^y  evxaptor/as  eTT^dcoKev  T<5  Traibap'uo,  k.  t.  X.  Euseb. 
Eccl.  Hist.  Lib.  vi.  cap.  44.  Narratio  Dionysii  de  Serapione,  Moguntiae, 
1672,  p.  246.] 

Perhaps  the  author  had  in  his  mind  the  following  passage,  in 
which  though  no  mention  is  made  of  burning  the  relics,  yet  in  the 
verses  under  review  (c.  vii.  16, 17)  the  two  circumstances  of  keeping  the 


522 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


clareth  that  the  remanents  and  relics  of  the  sacraments 
were  not  kept  to  be  honoured,  but  they  were  burned. 
Who  would  handle  his  God  so  cruelly,  I  pray  you,  as  to 
burn  him  like  an  heretic  ? 

Also,  there  is  a  decree  in  the  canon  law',  Tribus  gra- 
dibus,  the  which  commandeth  the  ministers  to  receive  all 
the  relics  of  the  sacrament ;  and  it  is  the  rule  of  Cle- 
ment III.  that  lived  anno  1190. 

In  the  mean  time  I  speak  no  word  of  that  foUoweth, 
I  should  say,  wicked  question,  meet  for  jugglers,  enchanters, 
and  witches,  and  not  for  christian  men,  much  less  for  divines 
and  teachers  of  God's  people :  in  what  moment  of  time 
the  bread  is  turned  into  the  body,  and  the  wine  into  the 
blood  ?  when  the  priest  speaketh  these  words,  "  This  is 
my  body if  they  grant  at  least  these  to  be  the  words  of 
consecration. 

Gabriel  BieP,  lect.  xlviii.  sayeth  that  the  body  is  not 
present  whiles  this  oration  is  speaking,  "  This  is  my 
body;"  sed  tota  oratio  est  referenda  ad  ultimum  instans 
ipsius  orationis,  that  is  to  say,  "the  whole  oration  must 
be  referred  unto  the  last  instance  of  it."  And  with  this 
opinion  agreeth  the  gloss  upon  the  canon  law :  De  con- 
secratione,  distinct,  ii.  Cum  omne,  sayeth  that  the  consecra- 
tion is  made  only  in  the  last  letter', 

And  in  another  canon.  Ante  benedictionem\  thus  he 

sacrifice  and  burning  it  with  fire  are  connected  together:  "Nam  et 
Dominus  panem,  qiiem  discipulis  dabat,  et  dicebat  eis,  Accipite  et 
manducate,  non  distulit,  nec  servari  jussit  in  crastiniim."  Orig.  Horn.  v. 
in  Levit.  c.  vii.] 

['  Quod  si  remanserint,  in  crastinum  non  reserventur,  sed  cum 
timore  et  tremore  clericorum  diligentia  consumantur.  Corp.  Jur.  Can. 
Decret.  3  par.  De  consecrat.  Dist.  2.  can.  33.] 

P  Gab.  Biel.  super  can.  Missse.  Lugduni  1542.  fol.  110.  co.  3.] 

P  Sed  nunquid  verum  est  quod  separatim  consecratur  corpus  Christi 
et  separatim  sanguis?  Dicunt  quidam,  quod  non  fit  transubstantiatio 
nisi  in  ultima  syllaba  totius  formse  prolata.  Alii  vero  dicunt,  &c. 
Sed  ego  dico  quod  si  per  copulativam  duo  dicuntur,  tunc  in  prolatione 
hujus  vocis,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  transubstantiatur  corpus,  et  in  pro- 
latione consequentis  vocis  sive  locutionis  transubstantiatur  sanguis ;  sed 
si  per  copulativam  tantum  unum  dicatur,  tunc  fiet  tantum  in  ultima  litera 
transubstantiatio.  Decretum  Gratiani.  Antv.  1573.  Decret.  iii.  Pars. 
De  consecrat.  Dist.  ii.  co.  2004.] 

[]'  The  words  of  the  canon  are :  "  Ante  benedictionem  ilia  species 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


523 


saith :  Licet  verba  successive  proferaniur,  non  tamen  successive 
consecratio  Jit;  sed  in  uno  instanti  corrumpitur  panis,  scilicet  in 
ultimo  instanti  prolationis  verborum :  that  is  to  say,  "  Although 
the  words  be  spoken  one  after  another,  yet  is  not  the  con- 
secration made  by  a  little  and  little  ;  but  in  one  instant,  or 
point  of  time,  the  bread  is  altered,  to  say  in  the  last  moment 
of  the  words  spoken."  After  this  their  wicked  and  idolo- 
latrical  doctrine,  this  syllable  {um)  in  this  oration,  Hoc  est 
corpus  meum,  to  say,  "  This  is  my  body,"  hath  all  the 
strength  and  virtue  to  change  and  deify  the  bread  !  But 
I  pray  you,  what  syllable  is  it  that  changeth  and  deifieth 
the  wine!  for  even  with  them  these  words  seem  to  have 
more  difficulty  than  the  other.  But  let  these  illusions 
and  crafts  go,  and  let  us  cleave  to  the  truth  of  God's 
word,  and  we  shall  be  out  of  all  danger. 

A  QUESTION. 

Thus  they  say  now :  If  this  opinion  be  neither  of  the 
apostles,  neither  from  the  ancient  doctors,  how  chanceth 
it  to  be  so  universally  taken,  and  for  so  infallible  and 
indoubted  truth ;  yea,  such  a  truth  as  in  case  men 
forsake  all  truth,  and  yet  not  contrary  this  truth,  is  ac- 
counted a  man  most  christian  and  true  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  is  more  expedient  to  answer  directly 
unto  the  question,  than  to  consider  the  time  of  our  fathers. 
They  thought  it  best  to  name  the  sacraments  by  the  name 
of  the  thing  was  represented  by  the  sacraments.  Yet 
in  many  places  of  their  writings  they  so  interpretate  them- 
selves, that  no  man,  except  he  will  be  wilfully  blind,  can 
say  but  they  understood  the  sacrament  to  signify,  and  not 
to  be  the  thing  signified  ;  to  confirm,  and  not  to  exhibit 
grace  ;  to  help,  and  not  to  give  faith ;  to  seal,  and  not 
to  win  the  promise  of  God,  Rom.  iv.  ;  to  shew  what  we  Rom.  iv. 
be  before  the  use  of  them,  and  not  to  make  us  the  thing 
we  declare  to  be  after  them ;  to  shew  we  are  Christ's ; 
to  shew  we  be  in  grace,  and  not  by  them  to  be  received 

nominatur,  post  benedictionem  corpus  Christi  significatuv."  The  gloss 
upon  this  passage  is :  "  Et  licet  verba  successive  proferantur,  non  tamen 
successive  consecratio  fit :  sed  in  uno  instanti  corrumpitur  panis,  scilicet 
in  ultimo  instanti  prolationis  verborum ;  et  licet  panis  sit  corpus  com- 
positum,  momentanea  est  tamen  ejus  corruptio."  Decretum  Gratiani.  col. 
2021.] 


524 


SERMONS  UPON  JONAS. 


into  grace ;  to  shew  we  be  saved,  and  not  yet  to  be 
saved  by  them ;  to  shew  we  be  regenerated,  and  not  to 
be  regenerated  by  them :  thus  the  old  doctors  meant. 

But  when  all  good  learning,  and  the  lesson  of  the 
holy  scripture,  were  drowned  by  the  Goths  and  Vandals 
in  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  and  yet  somewhat  rescued 
and  caught  again  by  Charles  the  Great,  anno  800,  men  not 
acquainted  with  the  phrases  and  vein  of  the  scripture  accus- 
tomed themselves  to  the  reading  of  doctors,  and  left  the 
word  of  God.  Whereof  followed,  among  other  evils,  that 
in  France,  by  certain  Italians,  this  question  to  be  very  much 
and  many  times  reasoned  upon,  as  touching  the  corporal 
presence  of  Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament.  Against  the 
which  error  one  John  Scot\  and  one  Bertram^,  wrote 
a  book  of  the  same  matter  to  Charles  the  Great'.  But 
the  monks  and  the  priests  declined  most  unto  the  opinion 
of  the  carnal  and  corporal  presence :  whereupon,  in  the 
time  of  Leo  the  Ninth,  a  bishop  of  Rome,  anno  1050, 
being  a  monk,  called  a  council,  named  Vercellense  ;  the 
which  ruled,  as  chief  president  and  great  master,  one 
Lancfranck*,  a  monk,  and  afterward  bishop  of  Canterbury. 
He  damned  Berengarius  :  but  after  that  the  same  Beren- 
garius  had  recanted,   one  Nicolaus',  pope,  assembled  a 

1^'  John  Scotus  (Erigena),  a  native  of  Ireland,  lived  in  the  ninth 
century.  He  was  one  of  the  first  writers  agaii^st  the  newly  received 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation  and  the  real  presence,  and  distinguished 
as  a  man  of  great  genius  and  erudition.  His  chief  work,  a  book  agamst 
Paschasius  Radbert,  is  not  extant.  It  was  condemned  in  several  councils 
as  heretical,  and  in  the  council  at  Rome,  a.  d.  1059,  Berenger  was  required 
to  burn  it  with  his  own  hands.  Scotus  was  the  personal  friend  of  Charles 
the  Bald.  See  Mosheim's  Eccles.  Hist.  cent.  9.  part  ii.  ch.  i.  sect.  7,  and 
ch.  iii.  sect.  19.  Full  and  interesting  particulars  of  Berenger  will  be 
found  in  Soames's  edition  of  Mosheim,  Vol.  ii.  p.  380 — 4.] 

P  Bertram,  or  Ratramnus,  a  celebrated  monk  of  Corby,  in  the  ninth 
century.  "  The  Book  of  Bertram  the  Priest,",  a  work  written  by  him 
at  the  desire  of  Charles  the  Bald,  on  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  is 
said  to  have  been  mainly  instrumental  in  convincing  Bishop  Ridley 
of  the  errors  of  the  church  of  Rome.  See  F'abricii  Biblioth.  Lat.  med. 
aevi.  Vol.  i.  p.  1661 ;  and  Dr  Glocester  Ridley's  Life  of  Bishop  Ridley.] 

This  is  an  error.  It  was  Charles  the  Bald,  and  not  Charles  the 
Great :  the  same  mistake  was  made  by  several  of  the  Reformers.  See 
Ridley's  and  Grindal's  Works.] 

See  Note  6,  page  117  of  this  Vol.] 
[=  See  Concil.  Omn.  Col.  Agrip.  1567.  Tom.  iii.  pp.  577, 589,  and  600.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


625 


council  of  the  monks  of  Italy  and  priests,  and  so  com- 
pelled Berengarius  to  a  recantation,  which  ye  may  read. 
De  consecrat.  dist.  ii.  Ego  Berengarius^. 

But  here  we  will  pause  and  deliberate  awhile  upon 
this  recantation,  and  scan  it  a  little.  In  this  recantation, 
mark  it,  there  is  no  mention  made  of  transubstantiation, 
but  the  bread  and  the  wine  are  called  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ ;  and  that  the  same  are  touched  with  the  hands 
of  the  priest,  broken,  and  torn  with  the  teeth  of  the 
faithful.  This  sentence  is  not  admitted  now-a-days  among 
our  scholastical  divines ;  yea,  the  gloss  upon  the  same 
canon  saith,  (read  the  place,)  "  There  is  more  danger  of 

p  Confessio  Berengarii.  Ego  Berengarius,  indignus  sancti  Mauritii 
Andegavensis  ecclesiae  Diaconus,  cognoscens  veram,  catholicam  et 
apostolicam  fidem,  anathematizo  omnem  haeresim,  prsecipue  earn,  de 
qua  hactenus  infamatus  sum:  quae  astruere  conatur  panem  et  vinum, 
quae  in  altari  ponuntur,  post  consecrationem  solummodo  sacramentum, 
et  non  verum  corpus  et  sanguinem  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  esse  ; 
nec  posse  sensualiter,  nisi  in  solo  sacramento,  manibus  sacerdotum 
tractari,  vel  frangi,  aut  fidelium  dentibus  atteri.  Consentio  autem 
sanctse  Romanse  et  apostolicae  sedi :  et  ore  et  corde  profiteor  de  sacra- 
mentis  Dominicae  mensae,  eamdem  fidem  me  tenere,  quam  dominus 
et  venerabilis  Papa  Nicolaus,  et  haec  sancta  Synodus  auctoritate  evan- 
gelica  et  apostolica  tenendam  tradidit,  mihique  firmavit :  scilicet  panem 
et  vinum,  quae  in  altari  ponuntur,  post  consecrationem  non  solum  sacra- 
mentum, sad  etiam  verum  coi-pus  et  sanguinem  Domini  nostri  Jesu 
Christi  esse,  et  sensualiter,  non  solum  sacramento,  sed  in  veritate  manibus 
sacerdotum  tractari,  frangi,  et  fidelium  dentibus  atteri ;  jurans  per 
sanctam  et  homousion  Trinitatem,  et  per  haec  sacrosancta  Christi 
evangelia.  Eos  vero,  qui  contra  hanc  fidem  venerint,  cum  dogmatibus 
et  sectatoribus  suis  aetemo  anathemate  dignos  esse  pronuntio.  Quod 
si  ego  ipse  aliquando  contra  haec  aliquid  sentire  aut  praedicare  prae- 
sumpsero,  subjaceam  Canonum  severitati. — Lecto  et  perlecto  sponte 
subscripsi. 

Hanc  confessionem  fidei  de  corpore  et  sanguine  Domini  nostri  Jesu 
Christi  a  Berengario  Romae  coram  CXI  1 1,  episcopis  factam  misit 
Papa  Nicolaus  per  urbes  Italiae,  Germanise,  Galliae,  et  ad  quaecumque 
loca  fama  pravitatis  ejus  pervenire  ante  potuit :  ut  ecclesiae,  quae  prius 
doluerant  de  averso  atque  perverso,  postea  gauderent  de  reverso  atque 
converso.  Corp.  Jur.  Can.  Decret.  iii  Pars.  De  consecr.  Dist.  2. 
can.  42. — Berenger  appears  to  have  retained  his  first  views,  notwith- 
standing this  forced  retractation,  which  was  followed  by  others.  See 
Thesaur.  Anecd.  Vol.  iv.  and  his  reply  to  Lanfranc,  noticed  in  Soames's 
Mosheim.] 


526 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


heresy  in  Berengarius''  words  than  was  in  Berengarius 
himself 

That  recantation  of  Berengarius  sent  the  pope  into  all 
the  cities  of  Italy,  Germany,  and  France.  But  this  reli- 
gion could  not  be  well  accepted,  nor  judged  to  be  good  of 
all  men,  though  Hildebrand the  monk  and  sorcerer,  con- 
firmed it,  anno  1079.  Wherefore  they  excogitated  and 
dreamed  out  transubstantiation ;  the  which  opinion  holp 
forth  the  monks  of  Benedict's  order  in  their  sermons.  And 
because  this  new  and  wicked  doctrine  of  transubstantiation 
could  not  be  received  and  admitted  of  all  men ;  after  two 
hundred  years  almost,  Innocentius  the  third  confirmed  it  in 
the  council  of  Laterane^,  anno  1215,  sometime  being  a  doctor 
of  Paris.  And  that  this  wicked  doctrine  might  take  the 
sooner  place,  he  bound  men  to  auricular  confession,  wherein 
they  persuaded  men  to  what  they  pleased  *  Immediately 
afterward  began  the  begging  friars,  the  self  soldiers  of  anti- 
christ, and  meet  persons  to  set  forth  such  abomination.  At 
the  beginning  of  these  monsters  Honorius  the  third  ^,  bishop 

P  The  gloss  is,  Dmtihus.  Nisi  sane  intelligas  verba  Berengarii, 
in  majorem  incides  hajresim  quam  ipse  habuit ;  et  ideo  omnia  referas 
ad  species  ipsas,  nam  de  Christi  corpore  partes  non  facimus.  Decretum 
Gratiani,  col.  2022.  The  gloss  upon  the  canon,  Qui  manducat,  says  : 
Sacramentum  per  partes  dividitur,  sed  non  ipsum  corpus.  Ibid.  col. 
2044.] 

Hildebrand.  In  Regcsto  Gregorii  VII.  Lib.  iii.  et  vi.  in  Synodo 
An.  Dom.  1079-  Habetur  alia  ejusdem  Berengarii  abjuratio.  Cui  repe- 
titioni  quid  causam  dederit,  exponitur  in  scholiis  Conciliorum,  quae 
Coloniae  quatuor  tomis  sunt  impressa.  Corr.  Rom.  Corp.  Jur.  Civ. 
Paris.  1687,  p.  458.] 

\^  Jesus  Christus,  cujus  corpus  et  sanguis  in  sacramento  altaris 
sub  speciebus  panis  et  vini  veraciter  continentur,  transubstantiatis  pane 
in  corpus  et  vino  in  sanguinem  potestate  divina,  &c.  Sac.  Concil.  Gen. 
Lateran.  sub  Innoc.  III.  cap.  i.  Innocent.  Op.  Colon.  1675,  p.  461.3 

\^  Omnis  utriusque  sexus  fidelis,  postquam  ad  annos  discretionis 
pervenerit,  omnia  sua  solus  peccata  coniiteatur  fideliter  saltem  semel 
in  anno  proprio  sacerdoti,  &c.    Ibid.  cap.  xxi.  p.  472.] 

Honorius  III.  an.  1212.  Romae.  Sacerdos  vero  frequenter  doceat 
plebem  suam,  ut  cum  in  celebratione  Missarum  elevatur  hostia  salutaris, 
so  reverenter  inclinet,  idem  faciens  cum  eam  defert  presbyter  ad  infir- 
mum.  Quam  in  decenti  habitu  superposito  mundo  velamine  ferat,  et 
referat  manifeste  ac  honorifice  ante  pectus  cum  omni  reverentia  et  timore, 
semper  lumine  prsecedente,  &c.  Decretal.  Greg.  IX.  Lib.  iii.  Tit.  41 . 
cap.  10.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


527 


of  Rome,  commanded  this  new  bready  god  to  be  honoured, 
anno  1226.  Lib.  ii.  Decretal.  Tit.  De  celebra.  Missarum. 
And  then  began  the  pindfools'*  and  cloisters  to  be  made 
in  the  churches,  to  reserve  their  new  God  in.  And  when 
the  monks  had  farther  entered  into  the  consciences  of  the 
people,  and  when  they  had  more  inculcated  and  beaten 
to  men's  heads  more  this  new  article  of  faith,  for  tran- 
substantiation,  than  all  the  other  of  our  belief  in  Christ, 
the  pope  began  to  excogitate  more  yet  for  the  honour  of 
this  new  God !  For  when  they  had  brought  Christ  from 
heaven  to  earth  again,  and  so  concluded  he  should  be  ho- 
noured in  the  sacrament,  he  thought  it  injury  to  let  him 
be  without  some  solemn  feast  and  day,  wherein  people 
might  honour  him  according  to  their  decrees ;  whereupon 
Urbanus  the  IV  instituted  the  feast  that  is  called  Corpus 
jChristi,  1262.'^  Then  increased  the  rabble  and  idololatrical 
number  of  private  masses  ;  and  the  honouring  of  this  bread 
then  was  defended  with  sword  and  fire. 

In  the  mean  time  many  godly  men  were  sore  afflicted 
in  their  conscience,  yet  durst  not  declare  their  grief ;  partly 
for  fear,  partly  because  that  sophistry  had  blinded  part  of 
their  judgments.  At  length  the  Lord  raised  up  godly  men, 
yea,  here  in  England  John  Wicliff,  that  resisted  this  new 
heretical  doctrine,  1368.  And  now,  (the  Lord  be  praised  !) 
children  know  the  ungodliness  thereof,  and  may  see  it 
plainly  to  be  naught,  if  they  will  not  be  wilfully  blind. 
How  childishly  they  brag  of  the  doctors,  now  ye  may  see ; 
and  even  the  same  do  they  with  the  words,  "  This  is  my 
body and  with  the  omnipotency  of  God,  as  ye  shall  hear 
in  the  next  sermon. 

[^^  Pindfools :  a  ludicrous  form  of  the  word  pinfolds ;  alluding  to 
the  pyxes.  Ne  propter  incuriam  sacerdotum  divina  indignatio  gravius 
exardescat,  districte  prsecipiendo  mandamus,  quatenus  a  sacerdotibus 
eucharistia  in  loco  singulari  mundo  et  signato  semper  honorifice  collocata, 
devote  ac  fideliter  cdnservetur.  Ibid.] 

For  an  account  of  the  institution  of  this  feast,  see  Constitutiones 
Clementis  Papas  V.  Lib.  iii.  Tit.  xvi.  cap.  1.,  in  which  the  decree  of 
Urban  IV.  is  recited  and  confirmed  by  Clement  V  at  the  Council  of 
Vienne,  an.  1312.    Corp.  Jur.  Can.  Parisiis,  1687.  Tom.  ii.  p.  367.J 


528  SERMONS    UPON    JONAS.  [sERM. 


THE 

SIXTH  SERMON 
UPON  JONAS, 

MADE   BY  JOHN  HOPER. 


They  object  against  the  truth,  as  concerning  the  ab- 
sence of  Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament,  the  words  of 
Christ,  "  This  is  my  body."  Unto  the  which  we  answer 
briefly.  The  words  should  be  understanded  according  to 
the  matter  and  purpose  they  be  spoken  for.  But  every 
man  knoweth,  the  matter  and  purpose  that  Christ  entreateth 
of,  is  to  make  and  institute  a  sacrament :  therefore  ought 
every  word  to  be  taken  sacramentally ;  which  is  to  attri- 
bute unto  the  sacrament  the  name  of  the  thing  signified 
and  represented  by  the  sacrament :  therefore  they  should 
not  force  nor  constrain  the  sound  of  the  words  used  in 
the  sacrament  to  make  of  the  sacrament  an  idol  by  false 
interpretation,  whereas  the  true  sense  of  the  word  maketh 
but  a  necessary  ceremony  and  help  to  our  infirm  faith. 
In  the  canon  law\  Decreta.  Lib.  li.  De  verbor.  significat. 
tit.  xl.  cap.  vi.  Non  sermoni  res,  sed  rei  est  sermo  subjectus : 
that  is  to  say,  "  The  matter  should  not  be  constrained  to 
the  word,  but  the  word  to  serve  the  matter."  Et  cap.  viii.^ 
Dum  proprietas  verhorum  attenditur,  sensus  mritatis  amit- 
titur :  that  is  to  say,  "  When  the  nature  of  the  word 
is  forced,  the  meaning  of  the  verity  is  lost."  Farther, 
what  should  move  them  to  deny  us  one  trope  in  these 
words,  when  they  themselves  use  a  great  many  of  tropes 
and  figures,  whereas  we  use  but  one ;  and  the  same  one 
to  be  in  the  open  word  of  God,  and  all  theirs  to  be  with- 
er Decretal.  Greg.  IX.  Lib.  v.  Tit.  40.  cap.  6.  Corp.  Jur.  Can. 
Parisiis,  1687.  Tom.  n.  p.  27P.] 
Ibid.  cap.  8.] 


VI.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


529 


out,  and  contrary  to,  the  word  of  God?  Note  the  words 
of  Christ,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  that  is  to  say,  "  This  is 
my  body what  they  should  make  of  this  word,  "  This," 
they  cannot  tell,  and  hitherunto  they  have  disputed  of 
it;  and  yet  not  agreed.  Read,  I  pray  thee,  Gabriel  BieP, 
Ser.  xliv.  Et  glossam  super  Oanonem,*  Timorem  docet. 
"  Is"  they  interpretate,  "  is  made."  The  bread,  they  say, 
is  the  accidents  of  bread.  But  in  the  cup,  they  be  con- 
strained to  use  with  us  a  figure  :  "  This  cup  is  the  new 
testament  in  my  blood;"  for  they  say,  the  wine  in  the 
cup,  and  not  the  cup.  They  know  themselves  how  fondly 
they  interpretate  these  words;  rather  maliciously,  obsti- 
nately, and  falsely,  than  truly.  We  therefore  thus  take 
them :  "  This  is  my  body,"  that  is  to  say,  the  sacrament 
of  my  body,  "  broken  and  given  for  you."  Either,  "  This  is 
the  new  testament;"  that  is  to  say,  the  sign  of  the  new 
testament,  or  the  remission  of  sin  obtained  in  the  body 
of  Christ,  broken  and  torn  for  us.  St  Augustine^  Lib.  xx. 
contra  Faustum,  cap.  21,  hath  these  words:  Hujus  sacri- 
ficii  caro  et  sanguis  ante  adventum  Christi  per  victimas  simi- 
litudinum  promittehatur  :  in  passione  Christi  per  ipsam  veri- 
tatem  reddebatur :  post  ascensum  Christi  per  sacramentum 
memorioe  celebratur :  that  is  to  say,  "  The  flesh  and  blood 
of  this  sacrifice  before  the  coming  of  Christ  was  promised 
by  the  sacrifices  of  similitude  :  in  the  passion  of  Christ 
they  were  given  in  deed :  after  the  ascension  of  Christ  they 
be  celebrated  by  a  sacrament  of  memory."  And  the 
Gloss,"  Dist.  ii.  Tribus  gradibus,  saith :  Certum  est,  quod 
species  quam  cito  dentibus  teruntur,  tarn  cito  in  caelum  ra- 
pitur  corpus  Christi;  that  is  to  say,  "  It  is  certain  that  as 
soon  as  the  accidents  and  qualities  of  bread  be  broken  with 
the  teeth,  straightway  the  body  of  Christ  is  taken  into 

P  Gabriel  Biel.  Super  Can.  Missae.  Lugd.  1542.  Lect.  xliv.  p.  96-3 

\^  The  gloss  is.  Corpus.  Solet  quasri  quid  demonstretur  per  hoc 
pronomen  hoc :  aut  panis,  aut  corpus  Christi  ?  Panis  non ;  quia  ille  non 
est  corpus  Christi.  Item  nee  corpus ;  quia  non  videtur  quod  ante  totius 
fonnee  prolationem  fiat  transubstantiatio.  Ad  hoc  dico,  quod  per  banc 
dictionem  hoc  nihil  demonstratur,  nam,  &c.  Decretum  Gratiani.  Antv. 
1573,  Paris.  De  consecr.  Distinc.  2.  Can.  26.  co.  2011.] 

P  Aug.  Op.  Basilife,  1642.  Tom.  vi.  contra  Fausfum,  Lib.  xx. 
cap.  21.  col.  370.] 

[«  Decretum  Gratiani.  Antv.  1.573,  col.  2011.] 

•34 

[llOOT'ER.] 


530 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


heaven."  So  that  their  own  doctors  do  not  believe,  that 
the  very  body  of  Christ  is  received  in  the  sacrament ! 

If  a  man  should  then  ask :  What  faith  and  opinion 
should  the  Christian  have  concerning  the  presence  or  ab- 
sence of  Christ's  body  in  the  sacrament? 

Answer. 

The  body  of  Christ  should  be  considered  two  manner  of 
ways:  first,  as  it  was  born  of  the  blessed  virgin,  being  indeed 
our  very  natural  brother;  then,  as  it  was  offered  upon  the 
cross  for  the  redemption  of  the  world.  And  thus  offered 
and  put  to  his  passion  upon  the  cross,  we  consider  him  in 
the  sacrament ;  for  the  bread  there  used  is  called  the  body 
of  Christ  broken,  and  the  wine  the  blood-shedding.  But  the 
presence  of  Christ's  natural  body,  or  the  opinion  of  his  pre- 
sence, they  so  little  profit,  that  in  very  deed  it  doeth  rather 
John  vi.  hurt  and  harm,  as  Christ  said,  "  The  flesh  profiteth  nothing," 
John  vi.;  and  again,  "  It  is  expedient  that  I  go  away." 

We  must  therefore  lift  up  our  minds  into  heaven,  when 
we  feel  ourselves  oppressed  with  the  burden  of  sin,  and  there 
by  faith  apprehend  and  receive  the  body  of  Christ  slain  and 
killed,  and  his  precious  blood  shed,  for  our  offences:  and  so 
by  faith  apply  the  virtue,  efficacy,  and  strength  of  the  merits 
of  Christ  to  our  souls,  and  by  that  means  quit  ourselves 
from  the  danger,  damnation,  and  curse  of  God.  And  thus 
to  be  partaker  of  the  worthiness  and  deservings  of  Christ's 
passion,  is  to  eat  the  body  and  to  drink  the  blood:  there- 
John  vi.  fore  doth  Christ  in  the  vi.  of  John  take  "  eat"  for  "  believe," 
and  "believe"  for  "eat,"  so  many  times.  And  St  Augustine^ 
saith,  Ut  quid  paras  dentem  et  vmtrem  ?  crede  et  manducasti : 
"  Why  preparest  thou  the  teeth  and  belly  ?  Believe  and  thou 
hast  eaten."  And  whosoever  eateth  after  this  sort  the  body 
of  Christ,  and  drink  his  blood,  hath  everlasting  life. 

Then  object  they :  If  we  may  thus  eat  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ  without  the  sacrament,  what  availeth  it  to 
have  any  sacrament  ? 

Answer. 

Against  these  temptations  of  the  devil  the  use  of  the 
sacraments  were  instituted  in  the  church. 

\}  Aug.  Op.  Tom.  IX.  In  Evan.  Johan.  Tract.  26.  col.  218.] 


VI.] 


SERMONS  UPON  JONAS. 


531 


The  first  temptation  of  the  devil  is,  he  would  bear  the 
Christian  in  hand,  the  promises  of  God's  mercy  to  be 
false :  therefore  doth  God  confirm  them  unto  us  by  his 
sacraments. 

The  second  temptation.  When  the  devil  perceiveth 
we  believe  the  promises  of  God  to  be  true  universally,  yet 
would  he  make  us  doubt  of  them  particularly,  as  though 
they  appertained  not  unto  the  private  or  singular  con- 
science afflicted.  That  doubt  would  God  remove  in  us 
by  his  sacraments,  and  saith,  they  appertain  to  the  private 
and  particular  conscience  afflicted,  even  as  every  private 
man  receiveth  the  sacraments  of  the  promises. 

The  third  temptation.  The  devil  laboureth  to  take  from 
us  the  knowledge  of  the  means  of  our  salvation ;  and  how 
the  promises  of  God  be  made  ours, — by  the  free  grace  of 
-God  or  by  our  merits.  The  sacraments  therefore,  which 
behold  and  represent  only  Christ,  do  teach  us  that  the  means 
of  our  salvation  is  only  in  Christ.  And  to  put  us  out  of 
doubt,  wherewithal  Christ  hath  merited  for  us  the  promises 
of  God  and  this  grace  of  our  salvation,  the  sacrament  shew- 
eth  us  it  was  with  and  by  his  death  and  blood-shedding ;  and 
therefore  hath  he  given  the  name  of  his  body  and  blood 
to  the  signs  and  elements  of  the  sacrament.  So  the  bread 
is  called  the  body  broken,  and  the  wine  the  blood  shed- 
den;  admonishing  thee  that  in  the  receiving  of  the  sacra- 
ment thou  shouldest  not  tarry,  nor  occupy  thy  meditations 
and  contemplations  in  the  bread  and  wine,  but  in  the 
merits  of  the  body  broken  and  the  blood  shed.  Whoso- 
ever mark  and  understand  these  things,  eateth  Christ :  if  he 
be  ignorant  hereof,  he  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation. 

Another  objection. 

They  say:  God  can  do  all  things,  therefore  it  is  not 
impossible  for  him  to  make  his  body  present  in  the  sacra- 
ment. 

We  be  not  so  addict  and  given  unto  human  ration', 
that  we  will  believe  nothing  more  than  reason  is  able  to 
account  and  give  answer  for:  but  we  believe  many  things 
that  directly  reason  sayeth  we  should  not  believe ;  as  the  in- 
P  Ration :  reasoning.] 

34—2 


532  SEBMOMS   UPON    JONAS.  [sERM. 

carnation  of  Christ,  our  resurrection,  the  making  of  the  world, 
three  persons  in  one  Godhead  and  one  essence ;  and  these 
things  we  beheve,  because  the  express  word  of  God  com- 
mandeth  to  believe  it:  but  the  transelementation  and 
alteration  of  the  bread  no  place  of  the  scripture  com- 
mandeth  us  to  believe,  but  many  places  forbid  we  should 
believe  it.  Neither  do  the  papists  agree  among  themselves, 
what  should  be  the  words  of  consecration ;  and  if  we  had 
but  that  advantage  of  them  only,  it  were  enough  to  declare 
their  transubstantiation  to  be  no  part  of  God's  word. 

It  is  a  folly  to  object  the  omnipotency  of  God,  without 
God's  word :  God  nor  doeth,  nor  cannot  do,  more  than 
he  will  do.  And  as  foolishly  do  they,  making  mention  of  a 
miraculous  presence  of  Christ's  body,  and  do  declare  them- 
selves to  be  of  antichrist  by  the  same  means ;  for  he  shall 
deceive  the  world,  yea,  the  very  elects,  if  it  were  possible. 
Matt.  xxiv.  with  new  miracles.  Matt.  xxiv.  2  Thess.  ii.  The  miracle 
les. .  11.  Christ's  visible  ascension,  and  other  expressed  in  the 
scriptures  of  God,  are  sufficient  for  the  catholic  church. 
And  the  miracle  of  the  invisible  and  miraculous  presence, 
we  leave  to  them  that  be  deceived  with  the  spirit  of  error. 
For  they  would  have  now  Christ  present,  but  in  any 
case  dumb  and  without  speech ;  and  whiles  he  lived  and 
could  speak,  the  members  of  the  devil  hanged  him  upon 
the  cross. 

Thus  was  the  malice  of  the  devil  always  great  against 
our  Saviour.  Before  he  came  into  the  flesh,  he  made 
many  believe  he  was  come,  before  the  time  appointed  by 
the  prophets  was  expired.  When  he  was  come  in  deed, 
then  went  he  about  to  persuade  he  was  not  come,  nor 
was  not  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  never  left  till  he 
had  killed  him ;  because  he  would  not  deny  but  that 
the  very  true  Saviour  of  the  world  was  come.  And  now 
that  in  deed  he  is  ascended  and  departed  from  us  accord- 
ing to  the  scriptures,  he  goeth  about  all  he  can  to  prove 
him  now  to  be  here.  So  that  neither  before  his  coming 
into  the  world,  nor  at  his  being  corporeally  in  the  world, 
nor  yet  being  out  of  the  world,  he  cannot  be  in  peace, 
sure  and  safe  from  the  assaults  and  temptations  of  his 
and  our  mortal  enemy,  Satan. 

But  I  know  how  the  adversaries  of  the  truth  persuade 


VI.] 


SEKMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


533 


the  people  maliciously  to  give  no  credit  to  such  as  preach 
and  teach  the  truth.  They  say,  we  condemn  the  holy  sa- 
crament, and  make  it  of  no  estimation.  But  believe  not 
their  slanders  and  lies ;  but  hear  or  read  our  opinion,  know- 
ledge, and  godly  estimation  we  have  of  the  sacrament,  and 
then  judge  and  give  sentence  afterward.  And  here  receive 
mine  opinion  as  touching  the  form  and  manner  to  celebrate 
and  use  the  sacraments. 

The  form  and  manner  how  to  celebrate  the  Sacraments. 

It  were  expedient  to  entreat  this  matter  at  length,  if 
time  would  serve.  But  yet  in  few  words  I  will  say  some- 
what of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  also  of 
baptism. 

Baptism  consisteth  in  two  parts ;  in  the  word,  and  the 
element.  The  word  is  the  preaching  of  the  good  and 
merciful  promises  of  God's  goodness,  accepting  us  into  his 
favour  and  grace  for  the  merits  of  Christ.  The  which 
promises  be  briefly,  comprehended  in  these  words.  Matt.  Matt.xxviii. 
xxviii.  "  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  These  words 
sheweth  the  form  of  baptism,  and  also,  that  only  men, 
reasonable  creatures,  should  be  baptized.  Mark  xvi.  So  Mark  xvi. 
is  condemned  the  gentility^  and  superstition  that  hath 
been  used  in  the  christening  of  bells",  The  matter  and 
element  of  this  sacrament  is  pure  water :  whatsoever  is 
added,  oil,  sailt,  cross,  lights,  and  such  other,  be  the  in- 
ventions of  men;  and  better  it  were  they  were  abolished, 
than  kept  in  the  church :  for  they  obscure  the  simplicity 
and  perfectness  of  Christ  our  Saviours  institution.  I  pray 
the  king's  majesty  and  his  most  honourable  council  to  pre- 
pare a  ship,  as  soon  as  may  be,  to  send  them  home  again 
to  their  mother  church,  the  bosom  and  breast  of  man. 

The  form  how  to  celebrate  the  Lord''s  Supper. 

Here  must  be  marked  two  persons;  the  minister,  and 
he  that  communicateth  with  the  minister.  These  must  come 
and  assemble  together,  as  Saint  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xi.  i  Cor.  xi. 

\}  Gentility:  gentilism.J 

P  See  the  service  in  the  church  of  Rome  for  the  Benediction  of 
Bells.] 


534 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


The  duty  and  office  of  the  Minister. 

He  doeth  best  his  office,  and  is  best  instructed  to 
minister  the  sacrament,  if  he  in  the  ministration  thereof 
go  as  near  as  is  possible  to  the  first  institution  of  Christ 
and  the  apostles.  For  Christ  was  and  is  the  Wisdom  of 
the  Father,  and  the  apostles  had  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
that  brought  them  into  all  truth:  therefore  it  must  needs 
follow,  their  doings  and  ministration  to  be  most  perfect, 
holy,  and  religious. 

How  the  Minister  should  prepare  himself. 

Inwardly  and  outwardly.  The  inward  preparation  is,  if 
his  mind  and  soul  be  instructed  and  furnished  with  godly 
doctrine,  and  a  fervent  spirit  and  zeal  to  teach  his  audience, 
to  stablish  them  in  the  truth,  and  to  exhort  them  to  per- 
pend and  mark  well  the  merits  and  deservings  of  Christ. 

The  outward  preparation,  the  more  simple  it  is,  the 
better  it  is,  and  the  nearer  unto  the  institution  of  Christ 
and  his  apostles.  If  he  have  bread,  wine,  a  table,  and 
a  fair  table-cloth,  let  him  not  be  solicitous  nor  careful  for 
the  rest,  seeing  they  be  no  things  brought  in  by  Christ, 
but  by  popes ;  unto  whom,  if  the  king''s  majesty  and  his 
honourable  council  have  good  conscience,  they  must  be 
restored  again :  and  great  shame  it  is  for  a  noble  king, 
emperor,  or  magistrate,  contrary  unto  God's  word  to  detain 
and  keep  from  the  devil  or  his  minister  any  of  their  goods 
or  treasure,  as  the  candles,  vestments,  crosses,  altars !  For 
if  they  be  kept  in  the  church  as  things  indifferent,  at 
length  they  will  be  maintained  as  things  necessary. 

When  the  minister  is  thus  well  prepared  with  sound  and 
godly  doctrine,  let  him  prepare  himself  to  the  distribution  of 
the  bread  and  wine ;  and  as  he  giveth  the  bread,  let  him  break 
it,  after  the  example  of  Christ.  He  should  give  the  bread, 
and  not  thrust  it  into  the  receiver's  mouth :  for  the  break- 
ing of  the  bread  hath  a  great  mystery  in  it  of  the  passion 
of  Christ,  in  the  which  his  body  was  broken  for  us ;  and  that 
is  signified  in  the  breaking  of  the  bread,  which  in  no  case 
should  be  admitted'  :  therefore  let  the  minister  break  the 

\}  Admitted,  should  perhaps  be  omitted,  or  the  old  word  amitted.] 


VI.] 


SERMONS  UPON  JONAS. 


535 


round  ^  bread ;  for  broken  it  serveth  as  a  sacrament,  and 

not  whole.     Christ  did  break  it,  Matt.  xxvi.  Mark  xiv.  Matt,  xxvi 

Luke  xxii.     And  Saint  Paul  saith,  "  The  bread  that  we  Luk^Sa. 

break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  Christ's  body?"  1  Cor.  x.  icor. x. 

Thus  should  the  perfection  of  Christ's  institution  be  had 

in  honour,  and  the  memory  of  the  dead  left  out\  and 

nothing  done  in  this  sacrament  that  had  not  God's  word 

to  bear  it.    But,  alas  !  God  is  accounted  a  fool ;  for  men 

can  use  the  sacrament  more  religiously,  devoutly,  godly, 

and  christianly,  than  Christ,  God's  Son,  as  it  appeareth ! 

For  his  form  and  manner  is  put  out,  and  man's  device 

and  wisdom  is  accepted  for  it. 


The  duty  and  office  of  the  people. 

The  duty  of  the  receiver  resteth  in  three  parts :  to 
say,  what  he  should  do  before  the  receiving  of  the  sacra- 
ment ;  what  he  should  do  in  the  receiving  of  it ;  and  what 
after  the  receiving  of  it. 

Before  the  receiving,  he  should  prepare  and  make  ready 
his  mind,  as  the  commandment  of  St  Paul  is :    1  Cor.  xi.  i  cor.  xi. 
"  Let  the  man  prove  and  search  himself,"  and  so  forth.  And 
this  may  be  done  two  manner  of  ways;  first  towards  God, 
then  towards  man. 

Towards  God  he  should,  from  the  bottom  of  his  heart, 
confess  his  faults  and  sins,  and  acknowledge  his  just  con- 
demnation. Then  should  he  persuade  himself  by  true  and 
lively  faith,  that  God  would  be  merciful  unto  him  for  the 
death  of  his  dear  beloved  Son  Jesus  Christ,  done  in  his 
body  torn  and  in  his  blood  shed.  He  should  prepare  him- 
self towards  his  neighbour  also.  First,  in  case  he  hath 
hurt  his  neighbour  in  fame  or  goods,  he  should  reconcile 
himself  again  with  restitution  of  them  both  again.  He 
that  thus  prepareth  himself  doth  eat  worthily  the  body  of 
Christ ;  and  he  that  doth  not  thus  prepare  himself,  eateth 
nothing  but  the  sacrament  to  his  everlasting  damnation. 

In  allusion  to  the  form  of  the  wafers,  or  bread,  then  and  still  used 
in  the  Romish  church.] 

P  See  the  Canon  Missae,  or  Mass  service,  in  which  there  is  a  prayer 
for  the  dead.] 


536  SERMONS   UPON   JONAS.  [sERM. 

I  make  no  mention  here  of  auricular  confession,  as  though 
that  were  a  thing  necessary  to  be  done  before  or  after 
the  receiving  of  the  sacrament.  For  this  confession  is 
not  of  God,  as  their  law  doeth  record :  The  gloss  upon 
the  decree  of  penance,  Distinct,  v.  In  poenitentia^ 

In  the  receiving  of  this  sacrament,  there  be  things  re- 
quired both  in  the  inward  man,  and  also  in  the  outward  man. 
The  inward  preparation  is,  when  the  man  receiving  the 
bread  and  the  wine,  being  subjects  and  matters  under  the 
judgment  and  censure  of  the  senses,  the  mind  is  elevated 
and  lift  up  into  heaven  ;  persuading  himself  by  faith,  that 
as  truly  appertaineth  unto  him  the  promises  and  grace 
of  God,  through  the  merits  and  death  of  Christ,  as  he 
sensibly  and  outwardly  receiveth  the  sacrament  and  witness 
of  God's  promises  ;  and  doubt  no  more  of  an  inward  friend- 
ship, familiarity,  concord,  peace,  love,  atonement,  and  fatherly 
pity  and  compassion  through  Christ,  by  the  means  of  faith, 
than  he  doubteth  that  his  mouth  outwardly  doth  receive  the 
signs  and  sacraments  of  God's  mercy  ^  To  excitate  in  us 
this  faith  and  belief  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  the  bread  is 
called  the  body,  and  the  wine  his  blood,  after  the  manner 
and  phrase  of  the  scripture. 

The  outward  behaviour  and  gesture  of  the  receiver 
should  want  all  kind  of  suspicion,  shew,  or  inclination  of 
idololatry.  Wherefore,  seeing  kneeling  is  a  shew  and  ex- 
ternal sign  of  honouring  and  worshipping,  and  heretofore 
hath  grievous  and  damnable  idololatry  been  committed  by 
the  honouring  of  the  sacrament,  I  would  wish  it  were  com- 
manded by  the  magistrates,  that  the  communicators  and 
receivers  should  do  it  standing  or  sitting.  But  sitting, 
in  mine  opinion,  were  best,  for  many  considerations.  The 
Paschal  lamb  was  eaten  standing,  which  signified  Christ 
yet  not  to  be  come,  that  should  give  rest,  peace,  and 

\}  In  posnitentia. — Dicunt  quidam  institutam  fuisse  in  Paradiso  statim 

post  peccatum  dicente  Domino  ad  Adam,  Adam,  ubi  es?  Alii 

dicunt  quod  sub  lege  fuit  primo  instituta,  quando  Josue  prsecepit  Achor 

crimen  suum  confiteri  Alii  dicunt  quod  in  novo  testamento,  a 

Jacobo  dicente,  Confitemini  altemtrum  peccata  vestra,  &c.  Sed  melius 
dicitur  earn  institutam  fuisse  a  quadam  universalis  ecclesiae  traditione 
potius  quam  ex  novi  et  veteris  testamenti  auctoritate.  Et  traditio 
ecclesiae  obligatoria  est,  &c.    Decretum  Gratiani.  Antv.  1573,  col.  1887.^ 

P  Mercies,  D.  1,  mercy,  D.  2,  T.] 


VI.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


537 


quietness.  Christ  with  his  apostles  used  this  sacrament, 
at  the  first,  sitting ;  declaring  that  he  was  come  that 
should  quiet  and  put  at  rest  both  body  and  soul ;  and 
that  the  figure  of  the  passover  from  thenceforth  should 
be  no  more  necessary  ;  nor  that  men  should  travel  no  more 
to  Jerusalem  once  in  the  year,  to  seek  and  use  a  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lamb  to  come,  that  should  take  away  the 
sins  of  the  world. 

After  the  receiving  of  it,  there  should  be  thanksgiving 
of  all  the  church  for  the  benefits  of  Christ's  death :  there 
should  be  prayer  made  unto  God,  that  they  might  perse- 
vere and  continue  in  the  grace  of  God  received:  they  should 
help  the  poor  with  their  alms.  This  form,  me  thinketh,  is 
most  like  unto  the  form  of  Christ  and  the  apostles. 

How  far  the  mass  differeth  from  this,  all  men  know. 

I  pray  God  the  best  may  be  taken,  and  the  worst 
left,  throughout  all  the  world.  And  all  such  as  be  yet 
infirm,  by  reason  of  long  custom  and  lack  of  knowledge, 
let  them  pray  God,  and  search  the  scriptures  without 
affection.  Such  as  be  perverse  and  obstinate,  and  will 
admit  no  reason,  for  them  the  ire  and  displeasure  of  God 
is  ready  and  prest  to  punish  them  when  he  seeth  time : 
as  it  is  to  be  seen  by  the  Corinthes,  1  Cor.  xi.,  that  for  i  cor.  xi. 
the  abuse  of  the  supper  many  of  them  fell  sick  and  into 
diseases:  so  will  he  do  with  us,  if  we  neglect  his  most  perfect 
and  godly  institution. 

Let  us  repent  therefore  with  the  Ninivites  from  our 
former  sins,  and  believe  the  remission  of  them  for  God's 
mercy  in  the  deservings  of  Christ.  Farther,  let  us  submit 
ourselves,  all  our  wisdom  and  learning,  unto  his  word ;  and 
think,  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  have  instituted  and  used, 
it  can  in  no  ways  be  bettered  by  us.  And  you,  my  gracious 
lord  and  king,  restore  the  right  use  of  the  Supper  of  the 
Lord,  as  Josias  did  the  right  use  of  the  Paschal  lamb, 
4  Regum  xxiii.  2  Para,  xxxv.,  after  the  word  of  God.  2  Kings 

The  text  now  folio weth  of  the  fast  of  the  Ninivites.    2  chron, 

XXXV. 

OP  FASTING. 

There  was  a  fasting  proclaimed,  and  wearing  of  sack- 
cloth, from  the  greatest  to  the  smallest. 


538 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


Here  be  two  things  to  be  noted  in  the  fruits  and  signs 
of  penitence :  first,  concerning  the  fast,  and  vileness  of 
the  apparel ;  the  second,  how  they  fasted  from  the  greatest 
to  the  smallest. 

Of  fasting  and  sackcloth. 

The  hypocrites  of  the  world,  when  they  hear  of  this 
fasting  and  putting  on  of  sackcloth,  damn  straightways  the 
doctrine  of  faith,  and  teach  that  God  saveth  not  only  for 
Christ's  sake,  which  only  faith  apprehendeth.  As  though 
faith  could  not  only  apprehend  the  mercy  of  God,  and 
yet  have  fasting  annexed  with  her.  But  this  present  text 
confoundeth  this  error  ;  for  it  sayeth,  The  Ninivites  first 
believed  the  Lord,  and  then  fasted.  But  lest  we  should 
here  err,  I  will  speak  a  little  of  fasting;  that  we  may  love 
rather  to  fast  well,  than  obstinately  to  defend  a  false  fast. 

What  is  fasting  ? 

Fasting  is  a  moderate  use  and  taking  of  meat  and  drink, 
lest  the  flesh  should,  by  abundance  and  too  much  of  it, 
rebel  and  overcome  the  spirit.  And  this  fast,  either  it  is 
continually  or  at  certain  times  used. 

Continually,  when  as  a  christian  man  moderately  feedeth 
his  body  with  thanksgiving  for  necessary  nutriment,  and 
not  for  to  abound  or  surfeit.    This  fasting  and  abstinence 
1  Pet.  V.     the  scripture  calleth  sobriety.     1  Peter  v. 

The  fast  done  at  certain  times  is,  also,  either  private 
or  public.  Private,  when  any  man,  considering  and  weigh- 
ing his  own  infirmities,  bindeth  himself  from  meats  and 
drinks,  to  tame  and  overcome  the  vehement  and  lascivious 
inclinations  thereof  to  the  obedience  and  rule  of  the  spirit. 
1  Cor.  vii.    1  Cor.  vii. 

A  public  fast  is,  when  for  a  public  and  common  calamity, 
trouble,  or  adversity,  the  magistrates  command  a  solemn 
and  public  abstinence  and  fast. 

But  in  both  these  fasts  there  must  be  used  a  circum- 
spect and  godly  diligence,  lest  in  the  abuse  of  fasting  we 
offend  and  provoke  the  ire  and  displeasure  of  God  the  more 
against  us.  We  may  offend,  first,  if  we  fast  for  any  other 
purpose  than  to  keep  the  body  in  subjection  to  the  spirit : 
therefore  it  is  to  be  taken  heed  of,  that  we  fast  not  for 


VI.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


539 


merit  or  for  custom.  The  second  is,  we  offend  if  we  fast 
in  the  honour  of  any  creature.  The  third,  if  for  one  fasting 
day  we  make  three  glutton  feasts,  as  the  fashion  is  for 
the  most  part.  I  would  wish  therefore,  that  the  true  fast 
and  abstinence  were  brought  in  again,  and  then  the  Lord 
would  be  pleased,  I  doubt  not. 

That  they  amend  from  the  greatest  to  the  smallest, 
we  learn  two  things.  First,  of  what  great  efficacy  the 
sermon  of  Jonas  was,  that  pleased  all  people,  both  great 
and  small.  The  like  hath  not  been  seen;  for  it  is  easier 
for  a  cook  to  please  an  hundred  mouths  with  one  meat, 
than  a  preacher  to  order  one  sermon  or  oration  to  please 
ten  heads.  It  were  well  in  our  time,  if  at  every  sermon 
were  one  of  the  magistrates  and  of  the  people  converted; 
and  at  ten  sermons  one  bishop  and  one  priest. 

The  second,  the  facility  and  promptness  of  these  Nini- 
vites  to  believe,  and  amend  their  religion  and  conversation, 
doth  condemn  the  ungodly  obstinacy  and  frowardness  of 
such  as  detract  and  prolong  their  amendment,  and  say 
they  will  believe  when  the  king  cometh  to  age.  Thus 
the  devil  giveth  them  one  occasion  or  other  to  defer 
their  belief.  If  the  king's  majesty  and  his  nobles  should 
hate  the  truth,  they  would  say,  How  can  we  believe  the 
doctrine  that  our  learned  and  wise  magistrates  detest- 
eth  ?  If  the  king's  majesty  and  his  nobles  love  and  favour 
the  best  part,  they  excuse  themselves  upon  the  tender  and 
young  age  of  the  king  ;  as  though  his  majesty's  young 
age  or  old  age  could  make  any  religion  of  God  true  or 
false ;  when,  indeed,  all  ages  and  powers  be,  or  ought  to 
be,  subject  unto  the  religion  and  law  made  already,  and 
given  to  be  observed  of  and  by  all  men,  of  what  sort,  con- 
dition, or  state  soever  they  be  of. 

This  thing  came  to  the  king  of  Ninive,  who  arose 
from  his  seat,  doing  off  his  apparel,  clothed 
himself  in  sackcloth. 

It  is  not  without  a  singular  counsel  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  this  king  is  mentionated  of  so  copiously. 

Neither  that  his  behaviour  and  doings  after  his  conver- 
sion is  so  diligently  manifested. 


540 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


SERM. 


First,  the  text  setteth  forth  the  manner  of  his  conver- 
sion, and  sayeth,  he  returned  unto  God  upon  the  fame  and 
rumour  of  Jonas'  preaching. 

Wherefore  we  learn,  how  much  the  truth  is  worthy  to 
be  esteemed,  seeing  that  a  king,  upon  the  bruit  thereof  made 
by  his  people,  embraced,  and  resisted  not,  as  now  we  see 
many  times  done  by  the  greatest  part  of  the  world.  Even 
so  did  Josias.  As  soon  as  he,  being  yet  but  a  child,  heard 
2  Kings      of  the  true  book  of  God,  he  embraced  it.  4  Regum  xxii. 

So  did  David  and  Josaphat  hear  and  grant  to  the  admo- 
nitions of  the  prophets.  All  kings  therefore  and  magistrates 
should  hearken  unto  the  truth,  and  learn  it  themselves  out 
Deut.xvii.  of  the  law,  Deut.  xvii.  But  this  study  and  knowledge  of 
God's  law  in  princes  and  kings  the  bishops,  priests,  and 
other  do  let,  bearing  them  in  hand  that  it  appertaineth 
nothing  to  their  office  to  study  and  labour  in  the  word  of 
God,  but  the  judgment  and  study  thereof  to  be  committed 
unto  them :  and  so  by  the  same  means  they  persuade  and 
cause  princes  many  times  to  persecute  the  truth  and  verity 
by  ignorance;  as  the  kings  of  Israel  did,  that  burned  the 
writings  of  the  prophets. 

But,  most  gracious  king,  and  ye,  my  lords  of  his  most 
honourable  council,  ye  have  not  only  heard  the  rumour 
and  fame  of  God's  word,  but  with  your  own  ears  have 
heard  yourself  the  truth,  and  ye  do  credit  and  believe  the 
same :  therefore  in  all  things  express  and  declare  it  in 
fact. 

And,  most  gracious  king,  take  ye  heed  that  the  virtues 
ye  learn  and  be  brought  up  in  in  youth,  ye  practise  and  ex- 
ercise them  in  age ;  and  in  case  your  majesty  will  so 
do,  beware  of  one  thing,  the  poison  of  flattery ;  the  which 
your  majesty  may  use  as  a  good  medicine,  and  not  a 
poison,  if  ye  take  heed  of  it.  It  will  be  poison,  if  your 
grace  think  yourself  to  be  at  all  times,  as  flatterers  will 
bear  your  highness  in  hand  to  be  :  it  shall  be  a  medicine, 
if  your  majesty  study  to  be  the  same  in  deed  that  flattery 
commendeth. 

Your  majesty  may  see  an  example  hereof  in  king  Jehoas, 
that  in  his  youth  favoured  and  set  forth  the  truth,  but  in 
his  elder  days  he  fell  from  it  by  the  means  of  flatterers,  that 
deceived  him. 


V..] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


541 


But  your  majesty  shall  do  best  to  follow  this  godly 
king  of  the  Ninivites,  and  embrace  continually  the  word 
of  the  living  God  :  and  thus  shall  your  grace  be  the  better 
able  to  do,  in  case  your  highness  would  have  before  you 
every  Sunday  one  sermon,  which  should  bring  much  know- 
ledge and  grace  into  your  highness"'  court. 

Now  followeth  the  fruit  of  this  godly  king's  penitence. 
First,  he  riseth  from  his  seat,  and  putteth  on  sackcloth. 

Of  this  we  learn,  that  in  faith  and  true  repentance  is 
no  diversity  between  the  king  and  a  mean  subject :  and 
thus  shall  it  be  at  the  latter  judgment ;  the  rich,  the  poor, 
the  king,  the  subject,  the  bishop,  the  priest,  all  shall  ap- 
pear naked  before  the  throne  of  Christ,  and  be  holpen 
nothing  there  by  any  title  or  name  of  glory.  Here  the 
honour  and  riches  have  their  estimation  and  glory.  Let  all 
men  therefore  look  to  amend  their  faith  and  living  here 
in  this  world. 

As  for  this  external  doing  on  of  sackcloth,  it  was  the 
manner  at  that  time  so  to  do,  and  declared  their  repent- 
ance and  amendment :  and  so  I  would  it  were  now ;  he 
that  offendeth  in  apparel,  he  would  remove  the  pride 
thereof,  and  go  soberly  ;  he  that  in  meat,  would  use  more 
sobriety.  Yet  no  man  should  think  any  holiness  to  be  in 
the  external  vestment,  nor  yet  any  hurt  or  damnation  in 
the  meat ;  but  the  abuse  of  both  displeaseth  God.  As  for 
the  vestments  of  the  priest  in  the  ministry,  I  would  wish  the 
magistrate  to  remove  them;  for  they  either  shew  or  not 
shew  virtue  :  if  they  shew  not,  they  use  them  in  vain  ; 
if  they  do  declare  and  shew  virtue,  either  the  virtue  is  with 
them  in  deed,  or  absent.  If  he  that  weareth  them  have 
the  virtue,  why  sheweth  it  he  to  the  world  ?  If  he  have  not 
the  virtue,  then  is  he  an  hypocrite,  whom  God  hateth. 

The  other  fruit  of  penance  of  the  king  with  his  council, 
being  converted  to  God  :  There  was,  as  the  text  sayeth,  a 
proclamation  made  through  all  the  city  of  Ninive  by  the 
commandment  of  the  king  and  his  council. 

In  this  proclamation,  first,  must  be  marked  who  be  the 
authors  of  this  proclamation ;  then  what  is  contained  in  the 
proclamation.  The  persons  be  the  king  and  the  nobles  of 
his  realm.  In  these  persons  first  note,  that  it  is  the  king's 
offices,  and  the  peers'  of  the  realm,  to  purge  their  com- 


542 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM. 


monwealth  from  false  religion  by  public  and  open  procla- 
mations. 

So  did  Nabuchadnezer,  Darius,  and  Cyrus,  kings  of 
most  notable  fame :  therefore  Christ  calleth  the  princes 
the  nurses  of  the  church. 

And  so  I  doubt  not,  most  gracious  king,  but  your 
highness  will,  according  to  your  title  and  style,  purge  this 
church  of  England  to  the  purity  and  sincerity  of  God's 
word. 

Farther,  we  learn  how  that  the  princes  and  coun- 
cillors of  a  realm  should  help  forth  the  godly  purposes  and 
statutes  made  for  the  glory  of  God  within  a  realm. 

So  was  this  king's  godly  purpose  holpen  by  his  council ; 
so  David,  so  Josias.  In  that  the  king  and  his  nobles  do 
confirm  the  doings  of  his  people,  we  learn  that  godly  ma- 
gistrates should  not  let,  but  further  and  confirm,  all  godly 
purposes  and  virtuous  study  of  their  people,  when  they 
study  amendment  of  false  religion :  so  did  Josaphat,  Eze- 
chias,  and  Josias. 

The  sum  of  the  proclamation. 

It  containeth  the  true  and  right  form  of  repentance  that 
pleaseth  God,  which  is  contained  in  four  parts. 

First,  in  outward  signs  of  heaviness.  Then,  in  calling 
upon  the  Lord.  Thirdly,  in  leaving  the  wicked  and  ac- 
customed evil  life.  Fourthly,  in  the  trust  and  confidence  of 
God's  mercy. 

Of  these  parts  we  will  speak  somewhat  by  order. 

Of  the  external  signs  of  a  penitent  heart. 

Two  notes  of  penance  are  here  described :  the  one, 
abstinence  from  meat  ;  the  other,  sordity  and  vileness  of  ap- 
parel ;  for  after  such  sort,  as  natural  men  say,  contraries 
are  cured  by  contraries.  He  that  is  given  to  his  body, 
cannot  please  God  by  penitence,  except  he  come  to  a 
soberness ;  neither  the  proud  and  arrogant  apparelled,  ex- 
cept he  remove  the  excess  and  abuse  thereof. 

I  would,  and  exhort  therefore,  as  many  as  do  ex- 
ceed and  offend  in  these  two,  to  return  to  penitence  with 
the  king  and  people  of  Ninive.    If  they  would  so  do,  they 


VI.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


543 


should  not  only  find  grace  at  God's  hand,  but  also  more 
health  and  soberness  of  body,  more  riches  in  the  coffer, 
more  plenty  in  the  realm,  more  grace,  wit,  and  soberness 
in  their  household. 

That  the  beasts  be  tied  up  also  from  their  meat,  it 
declareth  that  the  king  and  people  had  too  much  a  de- 
hght  in  wanton  and  over-much  gayness  of  their  beasts ;  which, 
being  kept  out  of  their  accustomed  pride,  should  not  allure 
them  from  their  penitence,  nor  give  them  occasion  to  re- 
turn again  to  the  former  evil. 

Farther,  it  pleaseth  so  the  Lord  to  punish  the  thing 
that  allureth  man's  frail  nature  to  sin,  because  the  sin  of 
man  should  the  better  be  known  :  as  we  see  by  the  killing 
of  the  Levitical  beasts  that  never  oftended,  God  would  preach 
unto  man,  that  his  sin  deserved  none  other  than  present 
and  sudden  death.  So  did  the  Lord  punish  and  curse  the 
earth,  that  Adam  and  his  posterity  might  know  it  was  not  a 
light  thing,  the  transgression  of  God's  commandment.  Gen.  iii.  Gen.  iii. 
So  do  all  creatures  weep  and  mourn,  until  the  time  of  the  reve- 
lation of  the  children  of  God.  Rom.  viii.  And  thus  perished  Rom.  vUi. 
he  the  beasts  with  man  in  the  flood.  Gen.  viii.  Qgn.  viii. 

The  second  sign. 

Lest  men  should  think  that  the  abstinence  from  meats, 
or  the  casting  off  of  gay  apparel  for  certain  days,  should 
deserve  and  merit  this  favour  and  mercy  of  God,  it  standeth 
in  the  proclamation  that  they  called  continually  upon 
the  Lord :  that  is  to  say,  they  asked  fervently  and  con- 
tinually help  and  favour  of  God. 

Note  in  the  conversion  of  this  king,  how  that  he 
commandeth  not  now  to  call  upon  strange  gods,  but  upon 
one  true  and  living  God.  Even  so  should  we  do  in  the 
days  of  our  trouble,  according  to  the  commandment  of 
God,  and  the  example  of  all  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and 
the  apostles.  But  this  is  to  be  noted,  that  the  text 
sayeth  they  should  call  strongly  upon  the  Lord  ;  that  is 
to  say,  with  a  penitent  heart,  that  is  sorry  for  the  evil, 
and  willing  to  study  for  ever  after  to  do  good.  We  call 
earnestly  upon  the  Lord  two  ways:  the  one,  when  we  ask 
of  God  to  turn  and  keep  from  us  his  ire  and  displea- 
sure ;  the  other,  when  we  desire  him  to  take  from  us,  and 


544  SERMONS   UPON    JONAS.  [sF^RM. 

give  us  grace  to  preserve  away  from  us,  the  sins  that 
provoked  and  merited  his  displeasure  and  wrath. 

But  we  offend  in  this  behalf  two  manner  of  ways : 
first,  men  call  upon  creatures ;  the  second,  they  call  coldly 
and  unfaithfully,  without  an  earnest  mind  to  amend,  and 
faith  upon  the  promises  of  Grod  for  Christ's  sake.  So 
did  Saul  rather  call  to  God  to  avoid  pain,  than  for  any 
love  he  had  to  virtue.  For  some,  as  soon  as  the  pain 
is  removed,  they  return  again  to  their  old  iniquity,  as 
Exod.       Pharao.  Exodi. 

The  third  note  of  penance. 

Every  man  turned  from  his  wicked  ways,  and  from 
fraud  and  guile  which  they  used  before. 

This  is  the  third  property  of  penance,  without  the 
which  we  be  rather  hypocrites  than  penitent  Christians. 
And  the  property  is  this,  to  forsake  all  evil  and  fleshly 
studies,  and  apply  himself  to  virtue  and  godliness. 

Note  first,  that  the  text  sayeth,  "  Every  man  turned." 
If  the  king  offended,  the  council,  the  bishop,  the  parson, 
the  parish  priest,  every  one  amended.  So  let  us  do,  except 
we  will  perish. 

And  what  shall  we  do  to  turn  from  us  the  ire  of  God, 
kindled  and  inflamed?  Shall  we  by  any  man's  merits  and 
deservings  ?    No,  sayeth  the  text,  but  every  man  amend  for 

isai.  hiii.    himself ;  and  so  concludeth  Esay,  Iviii.  chapter.  Jeremy  vii. 

And  because  avarice,  as  St  Paul  saith,  is  the  mother  and 
root  of  alP  evil,  the  proclamation  of  the  king  of  Ninivites  is, 
that  they  should  leave  their  force,  violence,  and  oppression, 
and  so  make  restitution  of  the  false-gotten  goods.  Here 
let  all  men  learn  how  to  be  saved,  that  have  gathered  to- 
gether, they  care  not  whether  with  or  against  the  law,  with 
or  against  charity.  Let  them  leave  doing  of  this  violence 
and  oppression,   and  restore  again  all  false-gotten  goods, 

Luke  xix.  Or  else  sure  they  will  perish.  So  did  Zacheus,  Luke  xix., 
and  other  godly  men  and  rich  men  that  repented.  Let 
men  look  upon  that  wise  saying  of  Salomon  :  Prov.  xxii. 

Prov.  xxii.  "  Spoil  not  the  poor,  because  he  is  poor,  neither  oppress  not 
the  afflicted  in  the  port :  for  the  Lord  will  take  upon  him 
the  defence  of  his  cause." 

\}  All,  wanting  in  D.  ].] 


VI.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


545 


The  fourth  fruit  of  penitence. 

Who  can  tell  whether  God  will  be  converted,  and 
moved  with  pity,  turn  from  the  fury  of  his 
wrath,  that  we  perish  not  ? 

In  this  text  we  see,  to  turn  and  bov*r  the  anger  and 
displeasure  of  God  is  a  great  matter ;  and  that  to  afflict 
the  body  with  fasting,  to  pray,  and  to  change  the  old  wicked 
life,  is  very  expedient  to  win  his  favour :  but  all  these  things 
be  in  vain,  except  there  be  likewise  a  confidence  and  true 
faith  in  the  mercy  of  God.  And  this  is  the  thing  that 
God  most  delighteth  in,  when  the  sinner  confesseth  that 
he  is  merciful  for  his  promises'  sake  in  Christ,  and  not 
for  the  worthiness  of  his  penance.  So  doth  this  king  in 
the  end  of  his  proclamation  set  forth  the  mercy  of  God 
to  his  people,  whereby  both  he  and  they  be  saved. 

That  it  seemeth  his  oration  to  have  a  doubt  in  it, 
truly  notwithstanding  that  he  was  very  welF  persuaded  of 
God's  mercy :  for  as  Jonas  proponed^  nothing  but  God's 
ire,  he  maketh  mention  of  his  mercy. 

The  doubt  he  putteth,  either  to  put  away  the  slug- 
gardness  of  his  people,  either  to  declare  in  himself  the 
fight  and  battle  that  is  always  between  the  spirit  and  the 
flesh  about  God's  promises.  We  may  say  also  that  in 
desiring  worldly  things  of  God  we  should  ask  them  with 
a  condition.    Matt.  viii. 

We  may  learn  here  to  put  away  despair,  and  trust 
to  the  Lord's  mercy,  although  he  threaten  never  so  much 
our  destruction. 

Also,  here  princes  may  learn,  what  proclamations  they 
should  make  in  setting  forth  of  religion ;  such  as  only  ex- 
tend to  the  glory  and  mercy  of  God  in  Christ. 

How  the  people  accepted  this  proclamation,  I  will  shew 
in  the  next  sermon. 

FINIS. 

P  Well,  D.  2,  T,  evil,  D.  1.] 
P  Proponed  :  set  before  them."] 


[hooper.] 


35 


.546 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS, 


[SERM. 


THE 

SEVENTH  SERMON 
UPON  JONAS, 

MADE   BY  JOHN  HOPER. 


The  Text. 

And  when  God  saw  their  works,  how  they  turned 
from  their  wicked  ways,  he  repented  of  the 
evil  which  he  said  he  would  do  unto  them, 
and  did  it  not. 

Ye  have  heard  how  this  mighty  king,  at  the  preaching 
of  Jonas,  corrected  both  his  faith  and  manners;  and  how, 
by  public  proclamation,  he  willed  all  his  subjects  to  do 
the  same.  Of  this  fact  of  the  Ninivites  we  may  learn, 
how  that  it  is  our  office  to  obey  unto  all  godly  and  virtuous 
commandments,  proclamations,  and  decrees  of  princes,  as 
many  times  as  they  command  amendment  of  religion  and 
manners.  But  our  people,  and  especially  the  multitude  of 
priests,  be  otherwise  affected :  for  they  do  disobey  both 
God  and  their  king.  It  were  a  charitable  way,  if  they 
have  any  thing  to  object  against  this  reformation,  that  the 
king's  majesty  and  the  council  godly  intendeth,  to  bring 
forth  arguments,  and  not  force  and  violence  of  armour. 

God  therefore  seeth,  that  is  to  say,  approveth  their 
works ;  not  because  they  were  clothed  in  sackcloth,  but 
because  they  turned  from  their  wicked  ways  ;  that  they 
had  changed  their  false  religion,  and  restored  the  goods 
again  they  had  by  violence  and  extortion  taken  from  their 
neighbours;  and  every  man  walked  in  his  vocation.  And 
even  as  the  Lord  pitied  them,  so  will  he  do  us  if  we  amend 
our  faith  and  conversation,  and  live  in  our  vocation  accord- 
isai.  iviii.  ingly.  Esay  Iviii.  Ezech.  xviii.  But  and  if  we  hate  not 
ze  .  xviii.  ^YiQ  bottom  of  our  hearts  the  evil  we  have  committed, 
we  tarry  still  in  death. 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


547 


That  God  repenteth  on  the  evil  he  purposed  to  do  unto  the 
Ninivites,  we  learn  that  all  the  threatenings  of  God  be  con- 
ditionally, that  is  to  say,  to  fall  upon  us  if  we  repent  not  of  our 
evil  deeds.     That  is  godly  shewed  in  these  words,  Jer,  xviii: 
Bepente  loquar  adversum  gentem  et  adversus  regnum,  ut  CTCf/-  Jer.  xviii. 
dicem  et  destruam  et  disperdam  illud:  Si  pcenitentiam  egerit 
gens  ilia  a  malo  sm,  quod  locutus  sum  adversus  earn,  ago  et 
ego  poenitentiam  simper  malo  quod  cogitavi  ut  facerem  ei ;  that 
is  to  say,  "  I  will  speak  quickly  against  the  people  or  king- 
dom, to  waste  and  destroy  them.    If  that  people,  against 
whom  I  have  devised,  convert  from  their  wickedness,  imme- 
diately I  repent  of  the  plague  that  I  devised  to  bring  upon 
them."   The  same  may  ye  see,  Ezech.  xviii.  Zach.  i.    "Turn  Ezek.  xviii. 
unto  me,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  turn  unto  you."  Yet 
should  not  God  be  accounted  inconstant,  though  he  punish 
Jiot  as  he  threatened  ;  for  this  is  his  nature  that  cannot 
be  changed,  to  receive  penitent  sinners  into  grace.  Ezech.  xviii.  Ezek.  xviii. 
Matt.  xi.  John  iii.  v.    The  heresy  and  false  doctrine  of  the  Matt.  xi. 
Catharones\  that  deny  mercy  and  remission  of  sin  to  gin.  •'"'i" '"• 
ners,  is  damnable  and  naught. 

THE  FOURTH  CHAPTER  OF  JONAS. 

The  Argument. 

The  sum  of  this  chapter  is,  that  God  will  shew  mercy 
unto  penitent  and  sorrowful  sinners,  yea,  though  all  the 
world  would  say  nay.  This  mercy  God  declareth  in  this 
chapter,  not  only  with  words,  but  also  with  a  metaphor 
and  similitude  of  a  tree. 

The  division  of  the  Chapter. 

It  is  divided  into  two  parts.  The  one  containeth  how 
Jonas  was  angry  for  the  mercy  and  compassion  God  took 
upon  the  penitent  Ninivites,  wherefore  he  is  reprehended 
of  God. 

\}  Catharones.  Hooper  appears  to  refer  to  the  Cathari,  and  takes 
his  view  of  their  character  from  the  Romish  writers.  Isidore  of  Seville 
thus  describes  them :  Cathari  propter  munditiam  ita  se  nominaverunt : 
gloriantes  enim  de  suis  meritis,  negant  poenitentibus  veniam  peccatorum: 
riduas,  si  nupserint,  tanquam  adulteras  damnant :  mundiores  se  ceteris 
praedicaat.  Qui  nomen  suum  si  cogiioscere  vellent,  mundanos  se  potius 
quam  mundos  vocarent.  Isidori  Etymolog.  Lib.  viii.  cap.  5.  Paris  1601.] 

35— 2 


54« 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


[sERM. 


The  second  part  containeth,  how  Jonas,  being  in  the 
fields,  is  taught  of  the  Lord  by  a  tree  that  suddenly  growed 
up,  and  suddenly  perished  again,  that  he  did  naught  to 
be  angry  with  God's  doings  towards  the  Ninivites ;  and  de- 
clareth  farther,  that  he  could  do  none  other  than  save  them. 

Therefore  Jonas  was  sore  discontent  and  angry ; 
and  he  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  "  O 
Lord,  was  not  this  my  saying,  I  pray  thee, 
when  I  was  yet  in  my  country  ?  Therefore  I 
hasted  to  fly  rather  to  Tharsis.  For  I  know 
well  enough  that  thou  art  a  merciful  God,  full 
of  compassion,  long  suffering,  and  of  great  kind- 
ness, and  repentest  when  thou  shouldest  take 
punishment. 

Of  this  text  we  learn,  first,  how  horrible  and  wicked 
the  perverseness  of  our  nature  is,  seeing  Jonas,  I  cannot 
tell  upon  what  love  towards  himself,  is  angry  ;  and  not 
with  man,  but  with  God,  that  would  favour  of  mercy  the 
sorrowful  Ninivites.  Seeing  there  was  such  imperfection 
and  infirmities  in  the  holy  saints,  how  much  need  have  we 
to  see  what  lieth  in  us  miserable  and  wretched  sinners ! 

Out  of  this  text  also  we  learn,  what  difficulty  and 
hardness  is  in  the  office  of  preaching,  if  it  be  truly  and 
well  done.  Continually,  whether  it  happen  and  come  to 
pass  that  he  speaketh,  or  it  come  not  to  pass,  the  preacher 
standeth  in  danger  of  obloquy  and  contempt.  We  may 
see  an  example  hereof  in  Jonas,  that  preached  by  the 
word  of  God  the  destruction  of  Ninive  :  which  if  it  had 
come  so  to  pass,  they  would  have  called  Jonas  a  cruel  ty- 
rant and  seeker  of  blood ;  and  now  that  he  seeth  the 
city  spared,  he  feareth  least  he  should  be  accounted  a  false 
prophet,  not  only  among  his  own  countrymen  the  Israelites, 
but  also  among  the  gentiles ;  and  then  all  his  preaching 
should  be  taken  for  a  mockery.  This  contempt  so  sore 
feareth  Jonas,  and  he'  is  therewithal  so  troubled,  that  he 
ofFendeth  God  grievously.  I  may  accommodate  the  same 
fortune  unto  myself  and  others  right  well,  when  we  speak 
['  He,  supplied  from  T.] 


VII.] 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


549 


for  a  reformation  of  the  church,  schools,  and  pohcies.  Into 
the  church  we  wish  to  be  put  such  ministers  as  can  and 
would  teach  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles,  and  that  they 
should  not  be  known  by  their   vestments   and  shavings, 
but  by  their  doctrine  :   then  such  as  would  minister  the 
sacraments  gravely,  religiously  and  simply,  as  Christ  and 
his  apostles  did ;  in  baptism  nothing  to  be  used  but  the 
word,  and  the  simple  and  bare  water ;  in  the  supper  of  the 
Lord  to  use  the  ceremonies  and  rites  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  and  all  occasions  of  superstition  to  be  avoided. 
But  although  this  doctrine  be  as  true  as  Christ  and  his 
apostles  be,  yet  I  perceive  displeasure  and  great  enmity 
rise  hereupon  to  me  and  to  other;  yea,  not  only  unto  us 
that  be  subjects,  but  also  to  the  king's  majesty  and  his 
most  honourable  council.    But  the  Lord  keep  us  out  of 
-temptation,  and  give  grace  and  strength  to  do  all  things 
to  the  glory  of  God,  and  to  pray  for  our  enemies  !  And 
as  touching  schools,  specially  the  universities,  they  must 
be  amended,  and  good  heads  and  rulers  appointed  in  the 
colleges ;  or  else  the  word  of  God  shall  ^  be  hindered  always 
by  such  as  ought  most  to  set  it  forth.    Such  godly  men 
as  have  wherewithal,  should  help  and  provide  to  have 
schools  to  bring  up  youth  in  everywhere  through  this  realm ; 
and  then  should  godly  and  learned  children  occupy  the 
place  of  superstitious  and  ignorant  men,  wherewithal  this 
realm  of  England  is  sore  and  too  much,  (God  amend  it .') 
pestered  and  hurt  withal.     This  might  bishops  in  their 
dioceses  help  well,  if  they  intended  as  much  good  as  they 
bear  the  world  in  hand  they  do ;  and  bestow  some  part 
of  their  excess  upon  the  towardly  youth  of  their  dioceses. 
So  might  the  nobility  and  our^  worshipful  men  of  the 
shire  do  :  yea,  so  might  every  parson  and  curate  do,  either 
with  his  goods  help  forth  the  truth  and  old  catholic  faith 
of  Christ,  either  with  their  goodwills  animate  them  to 
learn  the  doctrine  of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  the 
apostles :  and  such  as  have  the  talent  of  teaching  might 
rather  teach  than  play ;    help  than  hinder ;   build  than 
pull  down ;    help  forth  than  draw  back ;    promote  God 
rather  than  the   devil;   favour  Christ  than  antichrist; 
agree  with  the  king  than  conspire  with  the  pope.    As  con- 
cerning the  poUcy  and  reformation  thereof,  I  have  said 
P  Shall,  D.  2,  T,  should,  D.  1.]         [="  Our:  other,  T.] 


550  SERMONS   UPON  JONAS.  [sEKM. 

my  mind  before.  The  which  God  give  grace  it  may  be 
accepted  and  followed !  if  it  be  not,  yet  I  have  delivered 
my  soul,  and  God  shall  require  your  bloods  at  your  own 
hand.  And  in  case  any  man  be  offended  with  me  for 
my  true  saying,  I  had  rather  have  displeasure  of  all  the 
world,  than  of  God,  that  is  able  to  damn  both  my  body 
and  my  soul. 

In  the  third  place,  Jonas  putteth  an  excellent  de- 
scription of  God,  the  which  we  should  well  keep  in  mind, 
that  he  is  a  pitiful  and  merciful  God,  long  suffering  and  of 
much  clemency.  This  description  of  God  agreeth  with 
Exod.xxxiv.  God''s  own  words  spoken  to  Moses,  Exod.  xxxiv. ;  the  which 
encouraged  Jonas,  and  should  do  the  same  to  us,  if  we  were 
of  God.  Great,  doubtless,  was  the  sin  of  Jonas,  that 
took  an  occasion  to  be  angry  by  God's  favour  and  good- 
ness towards  this  sorrowful  city :  even  thus  did  the  Pha- 
risees, that  were  angry  at  Christ,  because  he  kept  company 
with  sinners.  Jonas  was  then  as  many  men  be  now-a- 
days,  that  think  wretched  sinners  should  never  find  pardon 
for  their  sins  before  God. 

Now  foUoweth  a  farther  description  of  Jonas'  fault  and 
impatiency. 

And  now,  O  Lord,  take  my  life  from  me,  I  beseech 
thee  ;  for  I  had  rather  die  than  live. 

Of  this  text  we  learn  two  things  :  first,  how  sore  and 
heinously  this  Jonas  offended,  that  rather  desired  to  die,  than 
God  should  have  pity  upon  these  penitent  people ;  by 
whose  preservation  he  thought  some  shame  and  rebuke 
should  happen  unto  him,  because  he  did  afore  Speak  and 
threaten  their  perdition  and  loss.  Much  better,  and  more 
godly,  did  Moses  and  Paul,  that  wished  rather  their  own 
harm  than  the  loss  of  the  people. 

Also,  this  text  declareth  the  weariness  and  impa- 
tiency of  the  flesh,  that  will  not  suffer  the  troubles  an- 
nexed unto  the  vocation,  but  rather  wisheth  to  die  than 
1  Kings  xix.  to  live  :  so  did  Elias  desire  death,  3  Reg.  xix. :  so  that  the 
text  and  experience  daily  sheweth,  the  best  day  that  ever  a 
true  preacher  shall  see  is  the  day  of  his  death.  But  as  the 
devil  hath  used  the  vocation  of  bishops  and  priests  in  this 
present  time,  there  is  no  day  so  terrible  nor  fearful  to  them 


VII.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


551 


as  the  day  of  death.  The  cause  thereof,  methinketh,  Saint 
Augustine  ^,  Episto.  cxlviii.  ad  Valerium,  sheweth  right  well : 
Ante  omnia,  inquam,  peto  ut  cogitet  religiose  prudentia  tua  nihil 
esse  in  hac  vita,  et  maxime  Jwe  tempore,  facilius  et  Icetius 
et  hominibus  acceptabilius  episcopi  aut  preshyteri  aut  diaconi 
officio,  si  perfunctorie  atque  adulatorie  res  agatur  ;  sed  nihil 
apud  Deum  miserius  et  tristius  et  damnabilius:  that  is  to 
say,  "  Before  all  things  I  desire  that  your  godly  prudence 
would  think  nothing  to  be  more  light,  facile,  or  joyful  in 
this  life,  chiefly  now  this  time,  than  the  office  of  a  bishop, 
priest,  or  deacon,  if  the  thing  be  done  lightly  or  hypo- 
critically ;  but  before  God  there  is  nothing  more  miserable, 
sorrowful,  and  damnable."" 

Now  folio weth  the  answer  of  God  to  this  angry  man. 

God  malceth  answer  to  angry  Jonas. 

Then  said  the  Lord :   Art  thou  so  angry  ? 

Of  this  demand  and  question  of  the  Lord  we  learn, 
how  he,  in  a  fume  or  hasty  passion,  (if  a  man  may  speak 
so  of  God,)  will  not  cast  away  this  infirm  and  weak  Jonas ; 
but  with  sufferance  trained  him  to  a  better  and  more  ad- 
vised judgment. 

So  doth  Esay  report  of  God's  nature,  chap.  xlii.  "  He 
will  not  put  out  the  tow  kindled."  He  did  not  only  con- 
sider the  weakness  of  the  man,  but  also  the  dangers  and 
trouble  of  his  pastoral  vocation.  Pitifully  therefore  doth 
God  bear  with  him,  and  schooleth  him  to  a  farther  and 
better  knowledge.  Of  this  man  we  may  learn  how  to  be- 
ware of  hasty  and  rash  passions  of  ire ;  for  if  there  be 
not  in  all  our  acts  a  moderation  thereof,  we  shall  never 
do  nor  judge  things  uprightly  according  to  knowledge.  If 
men  would  remember  this  demand  of  God  towards  Jonas, 
they  would  not  be  so  angry  when  they  be  rebuked  for  their 
faults,  but  rather  thank  the  admonitor  for  his  good  ad- 
monition and  warning  of  God's  displeasure. 

Now  foUoweth  the  second  part  of  the  chapter. 

And  Jonas  gat  him  out  of  the  city,  and  sat  down 
on  the  east  side  thereof,  and  there  made  him  a 

[1  Aug.  Op.  Basilise,  1641.    Tom.  n.  col.  686-1 


552 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


booth,  and  sat  under  it  in  the  shadow,  till  he 
might  see  what  should  chance  unto  the  city. 

When  Jonas  had  no  excuse  to  make  why  he  was  angry, 
nor  would  not  confess  his  fault,  (for  he  answereth  now  nothing 
to  the  question  God  demandeth  of  him,)  he  goeth  himself 
out  of  the  city  to  see  the  end;  whether  the  Ninivites 
would  persevere  in  their  penance  begun,  or  not.  Of  this 
we  learn :  if  we  be  wrongfully  angry  and  admonished,  if 
we  will  not  confess  the  fault,  yet  should  we  consider  and 
weigh  it  the  more  deeply.  In  that  he  made  himself  a  booth, 
we  see  with  what  simplicity  the  good  man  was  contented 
withal,  and  likewise  how  he  himself  was  content  to  labour 
to  make  his  own  couch.  Our  bishops  and  priests  have  all 
things  prepared  to  their  hands :  God  give  them  grace  better 
to  deserve  it ! 

The  text  saith  : 

The  Lord  God  prepared  a  wild  vine,  which  sprang 
up  over  Jonas,  that  he  might  have  shadow  above 
his  head,  to  deliver  him  out  of  his  pain. 

The  Lord  here  purposeth  to  help  the  infirmities  of 
Jonas,  and  remove  the  sinister  and  false  judgment  he  had 
of  God's  mercy,  by  the  image  of  a  young  tree.  He  bringeth 
forth  a  young  tree,  that  may  give  shadow  to  Jonas ;  whereof 
Jonas  rejoiceth  very  much.  But  the  Lord  queeleth^  it  again 
straightway,  and  that  maketh  Jonas  eftsoons  angry.  In 
the  midst  of  his  fumes  cometh  the  Lord,  and  by  a  collation 
and  similitude  between  the  simple  tree  and  the  worthy  city 
of  Ninive  he  sheweth  Jonas  his  fault,  that  was  angry 
for  the  mercy  shewed  unto  the  city.  But  in  these  things 
be  things  to  be  marked,  first  in  Jonas ;  then  in  God ; 
thirdly  in  the  tree. 

In  J onas  may  be  seen  the  image  of  a  man  that  labour- 
eth  and  is  oppressed  with  many  affections,  and  never  con- 
tented with  the  doings  of  God.  We  should  not  follow  this 
fault,  but  submit  our  judgments  to  his  will ;  saying  always, 
and  in  all  God's  works,  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  whether  thou 
send  us  mirth  or  sorrow,  joy  or  pain  ;  for  every  thing  shall 
be  to  the  best  unto  those  that  love  the  Lord.  Jonas  also,  in 
[}  Queeleth  :  quelleth,  killeth.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


553 


this  his  perverse  and  froward  opinion  to  withdraw  the  mercy 
of  God  from  the  Ninivites,  expresseth  the  naughty  opinion 
that  saith,  that  sinners  can  never  be  received  into  grace, 
after  they  fall  once  from  the  Lord.  They  would  abrogate 
the  greatest  work  of  God,  to  say^  his  mercy,  that  it  should 
not  work  where  it  pleaseth  him,  but  where  as  it  pleaseth 
man's  fancies  to  appoint  it.  The  Lord  doth  not  only  fa- 
vour and  bear  with  Jonas'  infirmities,  but  also  covereth 
him  from  the  burning  and  heat  of  the  sun ;  and  also  teach- 
eth  him  by  the  tree,  that  he  is  offended  without  cause. 
What  tree  this  was,  it  is  not  agreed  upon  yet  among  writers: 
but  it  maketh  no  matter  thereof;  it  is  enough  we  know  it 
was  a  tree  with  broad  leaves,  whereby  the  Lord  would  suc- 
cour both  the  body  and  knowledge  of  the  infirm  Jonas. 
That  it  grew  up  suddenly,  and  withered  away  suddenly, 
it  beareth  therein  the  image  and  property  of  such  honours, 
riches,  and  treasures  as  be  in  this  world;  which  suddenly 
rise,  and  suddenly  fall  again.  No  man  therefore  should 
hazard  or  danger  his  soul  for  so  brittle  and  frail  things. 

And  by  the  withering  away  of  this  little  tree  God 
would  shew  Jonas,  how  uncharitable  he  was ;  angry  that 
the  great  city  of  Ninive  was  saved  :  as  though  he  had 
said.  If  it  grieve  thee  so  much  for  the  loss  of  this  little 
tree,  should  it  not  be  a  greater  grief  unto  thee  to  see  the 
destruction  of  so  great  a  city?  For  the  tree  sprang  up 
in  one  night,  and  the  city  had  stand  many  hundred  years. 
Again,  for  the  tree  Jonas  laboured  never  a  deal,  but  God 
builded  Ninive.  The  tree  is  but  one  thing,  the  city  had 
great  number,  both  of  men  and  cattle.  And  least  J onas  might 
have  said,  Yea,  but  all  men  of  the  city  be  evil,  therefore 
worthy  to  perish :  but  God  addeth  to  the  matter,  and  saith, 
there  were  in  the  city  above  a  hundred  and  twenty  thou- 
sand persons  that  knew  not  between  the  right  hand  and 
the  left ;   that  is  to  say,  children  and  fools. 

Of  this  dialogue  between  God  and  Jonas  we  may  gather 
this  general  and  universal  doctrine,  that  God  will  save  all 
penitent  sinners,  1  Tim.  ii.  ;  for  seeing  he  gave  his  only  Son  i  Tim.  ii. 
for  us,  whiles  we  were  yet  his  enemies,  how  should  it  be 
he  would  not  in  him  give  us  all  things  ?      Kom.  viii.  Rom.  viii. 
Matt.  xi.    But  hereof  cometh  our  loss  and  perdition,  that  Matt.  xi. 
we  repent  not  from  our  evil,  as  the  proclamation  of  the 
p  i.e.  that  is  to  say.] 


554  SERMONS   UPON    JONAS.  [sERM. 

king  of  Ninive  commanded  the  people  and  subjects  thereof; 
that  would  not  only  men  to  amend  their  evil  lives,  but  also 
they  should  restore  again  all  false-gotten  goods,  and  make 
restitution  thereof,  as  well  to  God  as  to  man. 

Restitution  towards  God  is,  when  all  honour  and  glory 
1  Tim.  i.  is  given  unto  him,  as  Saint  Paul  saith,  1  Tim.  i.  But  this 
glory  is  and  hath  been  taken  from  God  by  men  of  every 
sort,  as  well  by  those  of  the  ecclesiastical  policy  as  those 
of  the  civil  policy. 

Those  of  the  ecclesiastical  policy  take  away  this  honour 
and  praise  from  God  two  ways  ;  one  by  neglecting  the 
true  doctrine,  the  other  by  defending  of  false  doctrine. 
By  negligence  offend  such  as  know  God  and  his  ministry 
by  the  holy  word  of  God,  yet  for  private  respects,  either 
for  lucre,  or  for  fear  of  themselves,  suffer  many  tokens, 
monuments,  and  ceremonies  of  superstition ;  as  is  the  di- 
versity of  meats  for  religion''s  sake,  (yet  I  approve  the  com- 
mandment of  the  magistrates,  that  for  a  civil  policy  cause 
certain  days  appointed  to  eat  fish  in'  ;)  images;  forbidding 
of  marriage  in  the  Lent ;  the  use  of  such  vestiments  or 
apparel,  as  obscure  the  ministry  of  Christ's  church,  and 
representeth  the  form  and  fashion  of  the  Aaronical  ministry 
of  the  old  law,  abrogated  and  ended  in  Christ ;  either  else 
seldom  or  never  teach  the  people,  neither  procure  them 
to  be  taught.  All  those  I  exhort  to  restitution ;  or  else 
doubtless  their  theft  will  bring  them  to  damnation.  Let 
them  preach  truly  the  word  of  God,  and  minister  his  sacra- 
ments after  the  institution  of  Christ;  and  then  their  harm 
done  in  time  past  shall  not  be  thought  upon. 

There  be  another  sort,  that  refuse  not  only  to  mock' 
this  satisfaction,  but  also  obstinately  maintain  and  defend 
false  doctrine,  and  study  to  oppress  the  true  doctrine :  of 

It  was  lately  enacted  (1664)  for  the  benefit  and  commodity  of  the 
realm,  that  the  fish  days  in  every  week,  as  well  those  which  were  of 
ancient  time  by  law  allowed  and  continued,  as  also  Wednesdays  in  evei-y 
week,  were  now  enjoyned  to  be  observed  and  kept.  Of  this  act,  whereby 
Wednesday  was  made  a  fish  day.  Sir  WiUiam  Cecyl  was  the  chief 
author,  for  the  great  benefit  that  wise  man  apprehended  to  he  by  spend- 
ing much  fish  in  the  realm.  But  this  was  not  well  resented  by  the 
people,  and  but  slenderly  observed,  the  English  nation  being  very  much  ad- 
dicted to  flesh  meats,  and  not  pleased  to  have  more  fish  days  imposed  upon 
them.  Strype,  Life  of  Parker,  p.  177.  See  also  the  Homily  on  fasting.] 
P  Mock :  make.] 


VII.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


555 


this  sort  is  no  small  number;  but  those  I  exhort  also  to 
leave  their  evil  sayings,  and  to  make  restitution. 

As  many  as  be  of  the  laity,  as  they  be  called,  that 
is  to  say,  not  of  the  public  ministry  of  the  church,  robbeth 
also  God  of  his  glory  and  honour :  they  seek  remedy  for 
sin  by  another  means  than  through  the  death  of  Christ, 
as  by  the  merchandise  of  masses,  indulgences,  invocation 
of  saints,  the  pains  of  purgatory :  but  I  advise  them  to 
give  God  that ;  for  it  appertaineth  only  unto  him.  Hearken 
unto  the  word  of  God,  and  call  upon  his  name,  as  he  teach- 
eth,  through  Christ,  in  spirit  and  verity ;  and  thank  him 
for  all  his  gifts  he  giveth  both  to  your  body  and  soul. 
At  your  death  commend  your  souls  to  him  for  Christ,  that 
died  under  Pontius  Pilate,  as  Saint  Steven  did.  Acts  vii.  Acts  vii. 
And  do  not  doubt  of  the  dead,  for  they  be  at  rest  already, 
either  in  heaven,  either  in  hell,  J ohn  iii.  v.  1  Cor.  xv.  1  Thess.  John  ui.  v. 

1  Cor.  XV. 

iv.  Apoca.  iv.  Wherefore  rather  give  thanks  to  God  for  1  Thess.  iv. 
them,  than  pray  from*  them.  [xiv!] 

Of  restitution  to  be  made  to  man. 

In  external  goods  may  a  man  offend  three  manner 
of  ways  :  in  evil  getting  of  them ;  in  evil  keeping  of  them  ; 
and  in  evil  spending  of  them. 

They  be  evil-gotten  many  ways  :  first,  when  they  be 
taken  from  another  by  murder,  rape,  violency,  craft,  or 
theft.  Thus  offended  queen  J esabel  in  taking  away  Naboth's 
vineyard  ;  3  Reg.  xxi.  at  length  she  was  torn  with  dogs  i  Kings  xxi. 
for  her  labour.  Then  be  they  evil-gotten  by  subtleties, 
frauds,  corruption  of  laws,  by  lying,  flattery,  and  such 
other.  Let  every  man  make  restitution  of  goods  thus 
gotten,  or  else  he  shall  sure  perish.  Let  the  seditious, 
hurtful,  and  dangerous  traitor,  that  contrary  unto  God's 
laws  taketh  weapon  against  his  liege  lord  and  king,  re- 
store both  his  heart  and  his  goods  again  to  the  king's 
pleasure  and  commandment.  Let  all  men  cease  from 
getting  of  their  goods  by  this  unlawful  means  ;  and  the 
goods  so  gotten  let  them  restore  again,  as  Zachaeus  did. 
Luke  xix.  And  that  they  may  be  the  better  fenced  against  Luke  xix. 
this  unlawful  and  ungodly  getting  together  of  goods,  I  pray 
them  to  read  the  canon  of  Saint  Paul :  1  Tim.  vi.  "  Such  i  Tim.  vi. 
as  will  be  rich,"  &c. 

P  From:  probably  a  misprint  for /or.  J 


556 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


Goods  be  evil-kept,  first,  if  they  exalt  them  unto 
arrogancy  and  pride,  which  bringeth  the  contempt  of  other : 
and  then,  if  in  the  abundance  of  goods  thou  forget  God : 
thirdly,  if  having  goods  thou  cease  from  labour,  and  put 
thyself  to  ease,  so  that  thou  make  thyself  profitable  neither 
to  God  neither  to  the  commonwealth  thou  dwellest  in.  Here 
offend  very  sore  and  dangerously  such  as  possess  the  goods 
of  the  church,  and  preach  not ;  such  as  have  stipends  to 
teach,  and  teach  not ;  wages  to  war,  and  war  not ;  re- 
ceive for  a  thousand  soldiers,  and  serveth  not  with  five 
hundred ;  such  as  enjoy  hospitals,  almoshouses,  and  the 
provision  of  the  poor,  to  their  own  private  commodity.  To 
all  these  I  say,  repent  ye,  and  make  restitution. 

Goods  be  evil-spent,  first,  if  they  be  consumed  in  an 
evil  cause  *  ;  as  when  they  be  applied  to  pride  and  excess  in 
apparel ;  or  meat  and  drink,  to  the  oppression  and  hurt 
of  the  poor ;  either  to  find  a  great  company  of  idle  and 
loitering  men. 

Then  if  they  be  not  used  to  a  good  use,  to  the  edi- 
fying of  Christ's  church,  the  help  of  the  poor,  the  prisoners 
and  such  like.     For  in  the  latter  judgment  the  Lord  shall 

Matt.  XXV.  ask  what  care  and  charge  we  had  of  the  poor.  Matt.  xxv. ; 

and  we  see  the  rich  man  damned,  because  he  gave  not  to 

Luke  xvi.    Lazarus.    Luke  xvi.    Unto  those  also  I  say,  Repent  ye,  and 
spend  the  gifts  of  God  after  knowledge  and  virtue  ;  if  ye  will 

Lukexiii.    not,  ye  shall  all  perish,  Luke  xiii.    God  sleepeth  not,  but 
seeth  all  our  acts  and  noteth  our  doings. 

In  case  any  of  these  men,  whether  they  be  of  the  eccle- 
siastical policy  or  the  civil  policy  of  this  your  realm,  most 
gracious  king,  and  you,  my  lords  of  his  most  honourable 
council,  detract,  and  will  not  make  restitution,  nor  use 
their  goods  well;  for  the  office  ye  have  taken  from  God 
ye  be  bound  to  compel  them  to  do  it.  And  first  of  all, 
because  there  is  no  man  but  sinneth,  look  first  unto  your- 
selves, and  then,  with  the  king  of  Ninive  and  the  nobles 
of  his  realm,  repent  ye,  and  restore  unto  God  that  is 
God's,  and  unto  man  that  which  is  for  the  comfort  of 
your  subjects — good  laws,  and  diligent  execution  and  usage 
of  the  same.  Then  compel  both  the  spiritualty,  as  they 
be  called,  and  also  the  temporalty,  to  make  restitution 
both  to  God  and  man  accordingly.  And  now  the  Lord 
['  Case,  D.  1,  cause,  D.  2,  and  T,] 


VII.] 


SERMONS   UPON  JONAS. 


557 


hath  given  you  peace,  because  ye  might  have  leisure  to 
do  these  things,  as  Paul  saith,  1  Tim.  ii. :  do  therefore  as  i  Tim.  ii. 
Salomon  did,  3  Reg.  viii. ;  abuse  not  the  peace  in  playing  i  Kings  viii, 
sports  and  pastime,  but  in  the  building  of  God's  temple, 
which  hath  a  long  time  lain  desolate.     Ye  have  an  example. 
Numbers  v. ;    and  in  any  case  let  that  example  be  fol- 
lowed.   There  be  the  gests^  of  Josaphat,  the  king,  written  2Chroii. 
2  Paral.  xvii.,  in  the  which  are  three  notable  things. 

First,  he   took  away  and  removed  from  his  people 
idololatry. 

The  second,  he  gave  them  true  judges,  whose  godly 
conditions  are  written  in  the  same  book,  chap.  xix.  that 
feared  the  Lord,  accepted  in  judgment  no  persons ;  third, 
they  received  no  bribes  nor  rewards. 

The  third,  he  placed  and  appointed  priests,  not  in 
one  place,  but  in  all  the  cities  of  Juda ;  and  not  to  the 
end  they  should  play  and  pastime,  but  to  teach,  and  not 
every  thing,  but  the  law  of  God.  All  these  things  must 
ye  do,  most  gracious  king,  and  you,  my  honourable  lords 
of  his  high  and  wise  council,  if  ye  will  live  in  peace  and 
quietness.  I  do  not  exhort  your  majesty  nor  your  most 
honourable  council  lightly,  but  upon  great  and  weighty 
consideration,  to  remove  all  these  things,  that  be  either 
the  deviFs  either  man's  invention. 

For  in  the  scripture  I  find  that  God  many  times  is 
offended,  when  we  give  him  but  half  honour.  How  well 
began  Jehu,  the  king  of  Israel,  4  Reg.  x. ;  but  because  2  Kings  x 
he  remained  in  the  sins  of  Hieroboam,  his  kingdom  was  not 
only  afflicted,  but  at  length  destroyed  also.  Abolish  there- 
fore, godly  king,  all  iniquity,  and  permit  not  mass,  nor 
such  abomination,  to  any  man  within  your  highness'  realm ; 
no,  not  to  the  strangers,  which  doubtless  should  be  an 
occasion  of  slander  to  your  realm  and  subjects.  For  Asa, 
the  king  of  Juda,  3  Reg.  xv.,  removed  his  mother  from  1  Kings  xv. 
the  rule  and  governance  of  the  realm,  because  she  had 
an  idol  in  a  grove,  the  which  her  son  the  king  brent. 
Then  your  majesty  must  institute  true,  faithful,  and  judges 
of  good  conscience  :  then  send  such  priests  through  your 
realm,  that  have  these  two  conditions,  first,  that  they  teach ; 
then,  that  they  teach  the  word  of  God.  If  your  majesty 
do  these  things,  then  shall  God  send  peace  and  quietness 

Gests :  gesta,  deeds.] 


558 


SERMONS    UPON  JONAS. 


[SERM.  VII.] 


to  his  pleasure.  Farther,  God  shall  make  you  a  fear  and 
terror  to  foreisrn  and  strange  nations  that  know  not  the 
living  God. 

And  this  your  majesty  shall  avoid  the  better,  if  ye 
beware  of  flatterers,  and  think,  as  Joada^  in  his  youth 
favoured  the  truth  of  God,  and  in  his  age  by  flattery 
aKirig^sxii.  departed  from  it,  4  Reg.  xii. ;  so  the  same  evil  and  danger 
may  corrupt  your  highness.  Then,  if  it  may  please  you 
to  command  more  sundry  times  to  have  sermons  before 
your  majesty,  it  will  not  be  a  little  help  to  you,  if 
they  be  well  made,  well  borne  away,  and  well  practised. 
And  seeing  there  is  in  the  year  eight  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  sixty  hours,  it  shall  not  be  much  for  your 
highness,  no,  nor  for  all  your  household,  to  bestow  of  them 
fifty-two  in  the  year  to  hear  the  sermon  of  God.  If 
your  majesty  do  these  things,  the  blood  of  your  people 
shall  not  be  required  at  your  hands.  But  I  rede  both 
king  and  council  to  be  admonished,  and  to  amend  things 
amiss :  if  not,  the  king  of  Ninive  with  his  people  shall 
rise  at  the  latter  day,  and  condemn  both  king  and  council 
to  death  :  for  they  converted  at  the  preaching  of  one  man, 
yea,  at  the  preaching  of  a  stranger  ;  we  have  not  only  heard 
the  same  by  the  mouth  of  strangers,  but  also  by  the  mouth 
of  our  own  countrymen,  and  that  many  times.  Let  us, 
therefore,  believe  and  amend,  or  else  we  must  perish. 

God  preserve,  for  the  death  of  Christ,  the  king's  majesty, 
all  his  honourable  council,  with  the  whole  realm  !  Amen. 

Te'Xo?. 


Imprinted  at  London  by  Jhon  Daye 
dwellyng  over  Aldersgate,  and 
Wylliam  Seres  dwellinge 
in  Peter  Colledge. 

Cum  privilegio  ad  impri- 
mmdum  solum. 


[}  Joada.    It  should  be  Joauhr} 


FUNERAL  SERMON, 


ON  REVELATION  XIV.  13. 


PREACHED  JANUARY  18,  1549. 


fl[  a  funerall 

of  Samiarp    3o\)n  ilciper,  tibe 
gere  of  our  saluatton,  1549. 
upon  tfie  ttxtz  trirgtsnc 
(n  t^e  3Cl£udatBon£  of 
gjagmtc  ^jofine. 
®a.  14. 


f[  I.  C5c;S;Sal0.  4. 
JKurnc  not  ajS  otl&cr  tfo  tui^iti^ 


A 

FUNERAL  SERMON, 

BY  JOHN  HOPER. 


I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto  me,  Write, 
Blessed  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord  straight- 
way, so  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labours,  but  their  works  follow  them.  [Rev. 
xiv.  13]. 

A  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEXT. 

The  death  of  a  man's  friend  is  painful  for  two  con- 
siderations :  the  one,  because  he  that  hveth  is  forsaken 
and  destitute  of  the  famiharity  and  friendship  of  him  that  is 
dead  ;  the  other,  that  the  living  doubteth  where  the  soul 
of  his  friend  departed  is  become,  whether  it  be  in  heaven 
or  in  hell.  Both  these  ills  may  be  redressed  with  one  good; 
that  is,  to  wit,  if  he  that  liveth  be  assured  by  the  word 
of  God,  that  his  friend  departed  is  by  mortal  death  entered 
in  Christ  into  eternal  life.  But  now  in  this  standeth  all 
the  doubt,  how  the  living  may  know  in  what  state  the  souls 
departed  stand. 

This  doubt  cannot  the  gentile  dissolve,  the  wise  men 
of  the  world,  nor  the  common  sort  of  such  as  beareth  the 
name  of  Christianity ;  namely,  for  this :  that  they  imagine 
their  friends'  souls  to  be  broiled  and  roasted  in  the  fire  of 
purgatory  :  wherefore,  even  as  they  fear  they  wot  not  what, 
so  seek  they  their  remedy  they  know  not  how  ;  with  mass, 
dirige,  and  such  other.  This  pains  (by  the  living)  pre- 
supposed of  the  dead,  who  can  justly  reprehend  the  mis- 
believing living  for  the  state  of  the  dead,  that  more  than 
need  is,  paineth  themselves,  and  more  than  profit  is,  re- 
deemeth  the  prayers  of  other?  But  what  may  the  truth 
conclude !  Is  there  any  certainty  that  putteth  all  out  of 
doubt  our  friends'  souls  to  depart  from  the  earth  straight 

r  1  36 

I  HOOPER.J 


562 


A   FUNERAL  SERMON. 


unto  eternal  life?  Truly,  after  the  judgment  of  the  flesh 
there  is  no  such  knowledge;  for  the  flesh  in  this  case  either 
will  plainly  despair  for  the  horror  and  greatness  of  sin,  or 
else  doubt  of  the  means  how  it  may  be  remedied.  Only 
therefore  the  certainty  is  known  by  the  scripture  of  God. 
Give  therefore  heed  what  in  this  case  what  the  word  of  God 
certifieth  us  of  the  dead. 

I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto  me,  Write, 
Blessed  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord  straight- 
way. 

In  a  matter  of  doubt  here  behold  the  diversity  between 
the  learning  of  God  and  the  learning  of  man.    The  learning 
of  man  without  judgment,  knowledge,  and  grace  will  compel 
and  force  them  that  live  to  believe  their  friends''  souls  de- 
parted to  be  broiled  in  purgatory.    Desire  them  to  give  you 
a  reason  why  :  answer  have  they  none  ;  but  that  ye  must  so 
believe,  or  else  be  accounted  for  an  heretic.    So  that  rather 
they  will  force  men  with  doubt  to  abide  in  sorrow,  than 
with  judgment  of  God's  word  happily  to  comfort  them  with 
joy.     Blessed  therefore  be  the  God  of  mercy,  that  hath  in 
this  case  put  unto  us  an  infallible  truth  and  doctrine,  to 
warrant  the  troubled  mind  of  the  living  for  the  state  of  the 
dead  !    And  among  other  places  of  most  certain  truth,  here 
in  this  place  he  plainly  sheweth  them  to  be  blessed  that  die 
in  the  Lord ;  that  is  to  say,  obtain  the  end  that  man  was 
created  unto,  eternal  felicity  and  joy  everlasting.     For  a 
proof  of  the  same  against  reason  and  man's  doctrine.  Saint 
John  saith:  "I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven;"  as  though  he  had 
said.  It  is  so  true,  it  can  be  no  way  false,  for  it  is  from 
heaven.    And  because  it  should  instruct  the  afiiicted  of  our 
time,  and  ascertain  us  of  the  state  and  condition  of  the  dead, 
as  well  as  it  did  Saint  John  and  them  of  his  time,  and  for 
ever  till  the  world's  end,  the  angel  bid  Saint  John  write  the 
same,  saying,  "  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  in  the  Lord." 
Although  all  men  indifferently  wish  and  covet  to  be  blessed 
after  their  death,  yet  all  men  come  not  to  the  thing  they 
most  wish  for,  because  they  live  contrary  unto  the  will  of 
God  that  solely  giveth  the  bliss  eternal,  as  Saint  Paul 
Ephes.  V.    saith,  Ephe.  v. ;  1  Cor.  vi.  "  No  fornicator,  covetous  man,  shall 

Cor.  vi. 


A    FUNERAL  SERMON. 


.563 


have  any  heritage  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  God."  And 
as  Paul  excludeth  from  heaven  the  doers  of  the  fruits  of 
infidelity;  so  doth  Saint  John  exclude  for  infidelity  itself, 
John  iii.  "He  that  believeth  not  the  Son  of  God  shall  see  John  iii. 
no  life,  but  the  ire  of  God  tarrieth  upon  him."  True  it  is 
then,  that  all  men  obtain  not  this  blessing  of  God  after  death. 
And  even  as  the  places  before  shew  who  shall  miss  of  this 
joyful  felicity,  so  Saint  John  in  this  place  sheweth  who  shall 
come  unto  it,  saying,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  die  in  the 
Lord."  They  only  therefore  be  blessed  that  die  in  the  Lord: 
and  seeing  a  death  in  the  Lord  is  the  gate  to  eternal  life,  we 
will  more  at  large  declare  what  it  is  to  die  in  the  Lord. 

To  die  in  the  Lord  is  to  die  in  the  faith  of  Christ, 
whom  he  sent  into  the  world  for  the  redemption  thereof, 
John  iii. :  which  is  done  when  four  things  is  observed.  John  iii. 

First,  if  the  sick  man  in  his  sickness  call  unto  his 
remembrance  what  he  hath  done  all  his  lifetime  against  the 
first  and  second  table  of  the  Lord's  commandments :  the 
second,  if  upon  his  examination  he  find  his  brother  and 
neighbour  hurt  by  him  in  goods  or  fame,  he  study  unfeign- 
edly  to  satisfy  him  as  near  as  he  can  again  in  both:  the 
third,  that  the  sick  man  acknowledge  unto  the  Lord  as  much 
as  he  hath  offended  against  the  commandments  of  the  first 
table,  with  a  detestation  of  them  all :  the  fourth,  that  he  ask 
of  God,  for  the  death  of  Christ,  remission  of  them  all. 

But  he  that  will  assuredly  trust  to  obtain  this  forgiveness 
had  need  to  have  ready  and  prompt  many  places  of  the 
scripture,  that  sheweth  in  Christ  the  Father  of  heaven  to  re- 
mit the  sick  man's  offences.  Gen.  iii.,  Esa.  liii.,  Matthew  i.  ii.,  Gen.  ui. 
Joh.  i.  iii.  iv.  v.,  Romano,  iii.  iv.,  1  John  i.  ii.    The  assurance  Mat't.  i.ii. 
of  faith  by  grace  obtained,  it  is  the  sick  man's  part,  and  iv.  v.  ' 
as  many  as  be  with  him,  religiously  to  pray  for  the  perse- 1  John  i.'ii. 
verance  of  the  same  faith :  and  also  to  his  power  to  help 
the  needful  with  his  alms,  that  they  also  may  pray  to  the 
Lord  for  him.    Then,  thus  commended  himself  unto  God, 
let  him  commend  all  his  likewise  with  some  exhortation,  that 
they  diligently  live  in  the  fear  of  God,  as  the  scripture  teach- 
eth.  Gen.  xlix.  Deuter.  xxxi.,  Josua  xxiii.  3  Re.  ii.  Gen.  xUx. 

He  that  thus  dieth,  dieth  in  the  Lord,  and  therefore  Josh,  xxiii. 
blessed,  as  this  text  teacheth,  and  as  it  is  taught  in  the  fifth  ^  "' 
of  Saint  John :  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  hear- 

36—2 


564 


A    FUNERAL  SERMON. 


eth  my  word,  and  believe  in  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting 
life,  and  shall  not  come  into  judgment,  but  pass  from  death 
to  life."  He  cannot  die  a  wicked  death,  that  is  blessed  and 
sanctified  in  the  blood  of  Christ ;  as  he  must  needs  be  that 
in  his  sickness  seeketh  health  by  this  medicine  prescribed  by 
Saint  John ;  that  by  four  words  helpeth  the  greatest  and 
damigerous'  desperation,  if  credit  and  faith  be  given  unto 
them.  The  first  word  is,  "  I  heard  a  voice the  second, 
"from  heaven:"  the  third,  "write:"  the  fourth,  "Blessed 
be  the  dead  that  dieth  in  the  Lord."  If  ye  learn  it  well,  it 
shall  not  only  make  you  blessed  at  the  hour  of  death,  but 
also  moderate  the  sorrows  and  mournings,  which  otherwise 
ye  shall  suffer  while  ye  live  here  for  your  friends  that  die. 
Likewise  it  shall  assure  you  of  the  state  and  condition  of 
your  friends  departed,  that  they  have  the  favour  and  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  better  at  ease  in  heaven  with  God  than 
ye  be  in  the  earth  with  men.  Learn  to  die*  well,  therefore, 
by  this  lesson,  ye  mortal  men  ;  and  leave  not  the  medicine 
prescribed  and  taught  by  God  the  Father,  made  and  tem- 
pered with  the  blood  of  Christ,  ministered  into  the  soul  of 
man  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  brought  from  heaven  by  an  angel, 
written  upon  and  to  the  people  of  the  earth  by  holy  Saint 
John,  for  the  medicines  appointed  by  man,  as  mass,  dirige, 
peregrinations,  pardons,  other  men's  merits,  when  ye  be 
gone ;  trentals,  anniversaries,  invocation  and  prayers  of  and 
to  saints  departed ;  auricular  confession,  and  such  other 
men's  inventions,  which  cannot  ease  nor  quiet  the  con- 
science of  the  poor  sick  man. 

But  the  more  of  these  trifles  is  promised  unto  the 
conscience  of  the  afflicted  man,  the  more  (wretched  crea- 
ture) he  desireth ;  as  your  conscience  shall  know  at  the 
time  and  hour  of  your  sickness  and  danger.  And  then 
shall  ye  feel,  when  all  other  things  be  too  little,  that 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ  is  enough ;  and  where  as 
without  doubt  your  own  conscience  shall  bear  you  record 
(do  you  and  all  other  men  for  you  whatsoever  may  be 
done),  ye  are  culpable  and  worthy  death  everlasting.  So 
shall  Christ's  Spirit,  if  he  be  in  you  by  faith,  bear  record 
with  your  spirit  that  ye  are  for  Christ's  sake  only  the  heirs 
of  eternal  life.  This  is  the  only  way  to  quiet  every  troubled 
P  Damigerous:  damnigerous,  injurious;  unless  it  should  be  dangerous.'] 


A   FUNERAL  SERMON. 


565 


and  afflicted  conscience  in  the  day  of  death,  as  Saint  John 
saith :  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord." 

But  seeing  the  devil  cannot  bear  this  doctrine,  a  man 
to  be  saved  in  Christ  for  the  promise  of  God's  sake,  he 
goeth  about  to  persuade  this  v^rord  of  God  to  be  false 
that  saith,  "  He  that  dieth  in  the  Lord  is  blessed ; " 
and  so  with  the  most  part  of  men  he  subverteth  this 
godly  consolation.  Either  he  maketh  the  sick  to  de- 
spair of  his  salvation  for  the  greatness  of  his  sin  :  either 
causeth  him  to  seek  unsufficient  and  unlawful  means  to 
remove  his  sins.  And  that  you  and  I  be  subject  unto 
this  temptation,  read  Matt,  xxvii.  Luke  xxiii. ;  and  see  Matt,  xxvii. 
what  the  devil  adventured  to  persuade  unto  Christ  him-  " 
self,  and  would  have  borne  him  in  hand  he  was  not  the 
Son  of  God,  neither  that  God  cared  for  him,  seeing  he 
suffered  his  enemies  thus  to  prevail  against  him :  and  the 
same  temptation  he  burdened  the  holy  prophet  David 
withal.  Psal.  iii.  If  he  could  object  and  burden  the  Son  Psai.  iii. 
of  God  with  arguments,  that  he  could  not  be  blessed  that 
died  in  the  Lord,  how  much  more  doth  he,  yea,  or  may 
he  not  only  suade  and  attempt,  but  also  persuade  and 
overcome  our  miserable  and  weak  condition,  ill  prepared 
(God  knoweth  !)  of  a  thousand  sorts  of  temptation  to  sus- 
tain of  them  the  least.  Wherefore  learn  by  time,  or  time 
deceive  you,  how  to  live  without  time.  Of  none  ye  may 
learn  so  well  as  by  the  life  and  death,  and  also  the  doc- 
trine, of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  Christ,  and  the  apostles : 
whose  example  if  ye  follow  not  here,  in  case  hereafter 
ye  never  come  where  they  be,  thank  yourselves.  And  that 
ye  take  upon  you  to  use  another  remedies  (yea,  and  as  many 
men  saith,  better)  to  warrant  and  stand  at  the  time  of 
death  against  the  tyranny  of  sin,  hell,  the  devil,  and  the 
world ;  if  after  your  departure  from  hence  it  be  worse 
with  you  than  it  is  with  them,  blame  none  but  yourselves. 
And  the  better  blame-worthy  be  ye,  so  many  times  ad- 
monished, yet  not  a  deal  the  better.  Judge  other  men  as 
they  Ust,  thus  I  believe.  He  that  dieth  as  an  apostle, 
shall  hereafter  live  like  an  apostle.  And  he  that  beUeveth 
as  an  apostle  shall  be  saved  like  an  apostle.  Understand 
what  I  say.  It  is  of  their  doctrine  and  sufficient  learning 
that  I  speak  of,  which  is  fully  and  sufficiently  able  to 


566 


A    FUNEEAL  SERMON 


Tim.  iii.  lead  a  man  into  all  truth.  2  Tim.  iii.  August.^  Lib. 
ConfesiS.  vi.  Cap.  v.  If  any  council,  general  or  provincial, 
if  any  learning  of  man,  could  shew  you  how  better  to  live 
and  more  godly  to  die,  than  the  writings  of  the  prophets 
and  the  apostles,  in  whose  writings  ye  have  a  plate  both 
of  their  life  and  also  of  their  death,  I  would  commend 
it  unto  you.  But  you  know  there  is  none :  seeing  ye  be 
this  persuaded  of  them,  and  allow  so  much  their  holiness 
and  name,  disable  not  their  doctrine  ;  lest  peradventure 
those  that  ye  now  account  to  be  your  friends,  hereafter 
shall  be  tests  and  records  of  your  just  damnation,  because 
ye  commend  their  name  and  persecute  their  blood  in  such  as 
offereth  you  their  doctrine. 

The  ignorancy  of  this  true  doctrine  to  teach  men  to  live 
and  die  well,  hath  brought  in  that  false  and  untrue  opinion 
of  feigned  purgatory.  The  which  induced  four  great  ills :  the 
first,  it  causeth  the  death  of  a  man's  friend  to  be  more  pain- 
ful. The  second,  it  abolisheth  one  of  the  chief  articles  of  our 
belief,  which  is,  "I  believe  the  remission  of  sin."  The  third  is, 
that  it  brought  the  works  and  deservings  of  men  into  greater 
estimation  than  the  merits  of  Christ.  The  fourth,  it  causeth 
men  to  live  in  a  greater  security  and  liberty  of  life;  be- 
cause their  opinion  is,  that  their  friends'"  doings  for  them 
after  death  shall  help  to  their  salvation.  Beware  there- 
fore of  this  doctrine  of  purgatory,  as  of  a  most  pestilent 
ill :  and  seeing  all  our  salvation  resteth  in  this,  that  we  die 
in  the  Lord ;  whiles  we  be  in  health,  let  us  learn  this  doc- 
trine well,  and  exercise  the  same.  It  is  not  a  Christian's 
part  to  sleep  in  sin,  as  an  ill  soldier,  till  the  trump  blow; 
neither  yet  to  provide  for  weapon  till  his  enemy  be  upon 
him :  but  to  have  it  ready,  that  it  serve  as  time  and 
necessity  requireth.  And  so  we  be  admonished  to  do  by 
the  horrible  example  of  the  five  foolish  virgins  in  the 
Matt.  XXV.  XXV.  chap,  of  Saint  Matthew,  that  neglecting  their  own 
bound  duty  to  know  and  live  well,  and  trusting  to  the  help 
of  others,  were  shut  out  of  the  joy  eternal.  For  whiles 
they  were  a  buying  other  men's  merits,  they  lost  their  own 
salvation. 

The    adversaries   of  the  truth   doth   use   to  object 

P  Aug.  Op.  Basiliffi  1548.    Tom.  i.  p.  110.    The  title  of  the  chapter 
is,  "  De  saerorura  librorum  auctovitate  et  necejssario  usu."] 


A    FUNERAL  SEKMON. 


567 


against  this  doctrine  of  God,  that  such  as  die  in  the  Lord 
should  straightway  be  blessed  with  him  in  heaven ;  and  say, 
we  deny  not  but  they  be  blessed,  but  it  is  in  hope  to 
come,  and  not  with  present  joy  and  felicity ;  for  they  must 
suffer  the  pains  of  purgatory,  and  so  enter  the  place  ap- 
pointed. To  the  which  objection  Saint  John  in  this  place 
answereth,  and  denieth  any  deferring  of  time  betwixt  the 
death  of  a  Christian  and  his  acceptation  into  the  fruition 
of  God,  and  saith  "  by  and  by,"  not  to  go  first  into  purga- 
tory and  then  after  into  heaven.  And  so  saith  Christ 
himself,  John  v.  The  same  teacheth  us  the  parable  of  John  v. 
Lazarus'  soul,  straightway  upon  his  death  that  was  taken 
into  Abraham's  bosom.  Luke  xvi. ;  where  as  ye  may  learn  Luke  xvi. 
the  state  of  the  souls  departed.  And  here  Saint  John 
sheweth  the  cause  why  the  souls  that  die  be  not  drawn 
through  purgatory,  nor  passeth  through  no  such  pains  to  come 
to  heaven:  "because,"  saith  he,  "they  may  rest  from  their 
labours,"  that  is  to  say,  from  the  pains  due  for  sin,  and  from 
all  other  miseries  of  right  annexed  and  laid  upon  men  for 
sin.  If  the  christian  souls  go  into  purgatory,  they  be  not 
quit  from  their  labours,  but  put  unto  more  labours ;  from 
a  hot  fever  into  a  hot  fire,  from  pains  tolerable  to  the 
pains  that  be  (as  their  doctrine  saith)  as  grievous  as  the 
pains  of  hell.  So  the  death  of  man  were  not  the  end  of 
his  miseries,  but  the  beginning.  Neither  were  not  death, 
as  Saint  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xv.,  the  last  enemy  of  man,  i  cor.  xv, 
but  purgatory  were.  Neither  were  it  true  that  he  saith, 
Heb.  ix.  chap.  "  That  man  receiveth  his  judgment  after 
his  death  but  after  he  is  first  dead,  and  then  sufiiciently 
purged  in  purgatory.  Whereof  ye  have  no  example  in 
the  New  Testament  nor  in  the  Old  :  ye  have  neither  any 
commandment  to  pray  for  the  dead,  nor  yet  promise  that 
God  will  hear  your  prayer  when  ye  pray.  Who  taught 
you  to  bring  any  religion  into  the  church  of  God  without 
God's  commandment,  and  the  decrees  of  the  universal 
church,  which  is  the  church  of  the  patriarchs,  prophets, 
and  the  apostles,  whose  faith,  life,  death,  and  doctrine  is 
and  ought  to  be  the  ground  and  foundation  of  christian 
religion,  as  Saint  Paul  writeth,  Ephes.  ii.J  Neither  in  the  Eph^ii. 
word  of  God  is  there  any  more  mention  than  of  two  places, 
the  right  hand  for  the  good  in  Christ,  the  left  hand  for 


568 


A  FUNERAL  SERMON. 


the  ill :  Abraham's  bosom  for  the  one,  a  place  of  joy ; 
hell  for  the  other,  a  place  of  pain.  Let  the  adversaries 
of  the  truth  shew  by  the  scripture  (which  we  esteem  full 
sufficient  to  make  a  perfect  man  in  all  things)  a  third 
place,  and  then  we  will,  as  we  be  bound,  give  place  unto 
them;  but  sure  we  be,  the  scripture  canonical,  which  is 
sufficient,  hath  no  such  thing :  but  of  this  shall  be  more 
spoken  hereafter.  For  in  this  text  I  mean  to  teach,  and 
not  to  dispute. 

Learn  therefore  here  of  Saint  John  to  know  that 
all   miseries  endeth  with  the  Christians  at  their  death; 
and  seeing  the  word  of  God  putteth  them  in  joy,  let 
not  us  put  them  in  pain:    nor  those  that  the  scriptures 
saveth,  let  not  us  condemn :    if  the  scripture  say  they 
be  "  straight  ways  blessed  that  die  in  Lord,"  let  us  not 
put  them  under  the  curse  of  the  painful  fire  of  purgatory. 
It  is  not  the  part  of  a  good  scholar  to  find  fault  at  his 
master's  doctrine,  until  such  time  as  he  be  better  learned 
than  his  master  ;  neither  before  he  hath  or  can  learn  the 
elements  and   principles  of  God's  law,  to  add  unto  his 
master's  rules ;  nor  to  better  the  thing  that  is  perfectly  good 
of  itself  with  any  wit  of  his,  vi^hich  is  perfectly  naught; 
nor  to  say  his  master's  doctrine  is  not  sufficient,  when  all 
the  world  knoweth  the  contrary.    For  the  best  learned 
men  hath  come  out  of  his  master's  school,  and  yet  never 
added  neither  diminished  one  iota  to  that  their  masters 
taught  them.    Behold  the  ancient  stole  of  the  patriarchs, 
prophets,  and  the  apostles,  which  lived  virtuously  and  died 
holily ;  yet  never  added  to  the  souls  any  third  place  or 
pains  of  fire,  but  were  contented  with  the  two  places  that 
God  had  appointed  ;  one  for  the  good,  the  other  for  the 
ill.     "\Vherefore  it  is  my  belief  that  the  doctrine  that  suf- 
ficed them,  sufficeth  us,  and  the  faith  that  saved  them  in 
Christ,  saveth  us ;  except  God  be  changed,  and  hath  made 
new  ways  to  heaven  since  their  death.    Either  they  erred, 
and  knew  not  what  was  sufficient  to  lead  to  eternal  life, 
or  these  dreamers  of  purgatory  err.    For  the  one  goeth 
as  contrary  in  this  article  to  the  other  as  black  is  con- 
trary unto  white,  and  the  catholic  church  of  Christ  to  the 
smerm'  and  multitude  of  antichrist,  and  as  far  from  the 
Smerm,  probably  swarm.] 


A  FUNEKAL  SERMON, 


569 


primitive  church  of  the  apostles,  as  God's  word  is  from  the 
superstition  of  man,  and  the  doctrine  and  Kfe  of  Saint 
Peter  (that  was  but  a  record  of  Christ  and  his  doctrine, 
Acts  i.)  from  the  Hfe  and  doctrine  of  Boniface  the  Eighth,  Acts  i. 
which  is  written  post  Sextum  Decretalium?  Better  therefore 
it  is  to  beheve  with  Saint  John  and  the  cathoHc  church, 
that  the  dead  be  at  rest,  than  with  the  school  of  the  gen- 
tiles and  multitude  of  men  to  judge  them  in  pain.  But 
let  us  hear  what  more  the  Holy  Ghost  saith  unto  Saint 
John. 

Their  works  follow  them. 

By  this  text  we  learn  two  things :  first,  how  these 
that  die  in  the  Lord  be  not  nor  cannot  be  hurt  by  the 
obloquy  and  slanderous  report  of  ill  speakers.  Seeing  the 
world  for  the  most  part  accounted  the  very  Christians  of 
God  to  be  heretics  and  seditious  persons ;  therefore  saith 
the  Holy  Ghost,  "  They  depart  hence  with  their  own  works:" 
which  saying  should  cause  us  to  bear  strongly  the  perverse 
judgment  of  the  world ;  for  the  judgment  of  God  is  just, 
and  judgeth  not  after  the  face,  but  according  to  the  truth. 
Let  all  us  therefore  lament  and  bewail  our  sins  past,  pre- 
sently begin  a  better  life,  and  hereafter  beware  in  Christ 
of  the  like  fall ;  then  let  the  world  say  what  it  will. 

The  second  doctrine  here  of  Saint  John  repugneth  and 
overthroweth  the  opinion  of  many  ignorant  and  superstitious 
persons,  that  whiles  they  yet  live  here  themselves  passeth 
little  what  faith,  religion,  or  works  commanded  by  God 
they  do ;  but  in  the  time  of  death  they  think  to  redeem 
all  their  sins  by  other  men's  works  after  death,  with  mass, 
pilgrimage,  pardons,  and  other.  Foolish  be  they  that  sell 
this  abomination;  but  more  fools  be  the  buyers,  seeing  Christ 
once  cast  such  sellers  out  of  the  temple.  But  those  hath 
the  pope  and  his  received  in  again  with  both  hands.  And 
as  Christ  beat  them  out  with  scourges,  so  the  pope  and 
his  adherences  with  whip  and  fire  beateth  as  many  as 
call  the  people  from  this  merchandise ;  and  no  marvel,  for 

P  Platina  gives  a  very  dark  picture  of  the  character  of  Boniface  the 
Eighth,  in  his  Lives  of  the  Popes.  The  book  of  Decretals  called  "  Sextus" 
was  collected  under  his  pontificate.  See  Platinae  Vit.  Pontif.  and  Corp. 
Juris  Canon.] 


570 


A   FUNERAL  SERMON. 


he  is  Christ's  adversary.  Because  therefore  this  error  hath 
so  much  availed  in  many  men's  consciences,  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  remove  it,  (partly  because  they  that  sell  wax 
rich  by  the  means,  partly  because  the  merchandise  seemeth 
good  to  the  buyer,  that  trusteth  to  appease  the  ire  of  God 
with  money,)  I  will  rehearse  testimonies  of  the  scripture 
to  prove  that  no  man  is  the  better  for  another  man's 

Matt.  XXV.  works  when  he  is  dead.  Christ,  Matt,  xxv.,  asketh,  of 
the  same  he  gave  his  talents  unto,  account  of  the  same 
man  again  for  the  use  of  his  talents,  and  thereunto  con- 
straineth  each  of  his  creditors.  In  the  same  chapter, 
sitting  in  the  last  judgment,  as  it  were  requireth  ac- 
count of  such  works  as  were  done  by  them  that  shall  be 
judged  whiles  they  were  yet  alive :  "  I  was  an  hungered, 
and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  athirst,  and  ye  gave  me  drink and 
so  forth  :  read  the  place.  In  the  Old  Testament  and  in 
the  New  is  written  many  times,  that  the  just  God  will  give 
unto  every  man  after  his  own  works :  so  saith  Saint  Paul, 
Gal.  vi.,  and  to  the  Corinthians,  "  As  he  soweth,  so  shall  he 

2  Cor.  V.  reap  ;"  and  that  saith  he  also,  2  Cor.  v.  "  Every  man  shall 
receive  as  he  hath  done  in  his  body,  be  it  good  or  ill."  And 
be  mindful  of  the  five  foolish  virgins,  that  teach  us  how  dan- 
gerous a  thing  it  is  to  trust  unto  boughten  merits.  When 
they  were  waked  out  of  the  sleep  to  go  meet  the  bridegroom, 
and  had  not  oil  sufficient  in  their  lamps,  they  went  unto 
their  merchants  to  buy :  but  in  the  meantime,  whiles  they 
were  agreeing  upon  the  price,  the  gate  was  shut,  and  the 
miserable  virgins  excluded,  and  kept  out  from  the  eternal 
joys.  After  the  same  sort  men,  being  ignorant  of  the  truth 
of  God's  word,  useth  in  the  time  of  their  sickness  with  the 
unlearned  priests.  Whiles  the  miserable  and  afflicted  sick 
man  is  crucified  and  tormented  with  the  fire  of  hell,  in  his 
agony  and  passion  of  death,  asking  counsel  of  his  curate ; 
when  his  curate  should  persuade  the  sick  man  to  the  resti- 
tution of  his  neighbour's  goods  and  fame,  if  any  such  wrongs 
were  committed,  and  then  persuade  him  of  Almighty  God's 
mercy  in  Christ,  in  whose  blood  he  forgiveth  all  offences. 

Gen.  iii.     Gcn.  iii.  Esa.  liii.  Ephes.  ii.  and  maketh  the  sinner  more 

XsH.i  liii 

Ephes.  ii.  whiter  than  the  snow,  Esa.  i. ;  then  the  ungodly  curate 
setteth  forth  his  merchandise  to  sale ;  masses,  ringing, 
lights,  peregrinations,  with  other  like.    The  wretched  sick 


A    tUNERAL  SERMON. 


571 


man,  though  his  conscience  beareth  him  record  these  things 
satisfy  not,  nor  removeth  the  greatness  of  his  temptation  ; 
yet  seeing  he  knoweth  no  better,  and  hath  learned  no  far- 
ther than  the  opinion  of  man  hath  taught,  he  beginneth  to 
entreat  with  the  priest  upon  the  price  of  his  merchandise, 
and  many  times  before  they  be  fully  at  a  point,  the  buyer 
and  seller,  the  poor  sick  buyer  dieth,  and  the  gate  of  sal- 
vation is  shut  in  :  and  thus  for  the  lust  of  feigned  purgatory, 
that  the  scripture  of  God  feareth  no  man  withal,  he  findeth 
unfeigned  hell  (eternal  damnation),  from  whence  neither  the 
living,  neither  the  dead,  can  release  him.  And  thus  I  will 
yet  add,  in  case  there  were  any  purgatory,  yet  could  not  the 
souls  be  delivered  by  these  remedies  that  superstition  hath 
prescribed,  seeing  their  remedies  for  the  most  part  be  blas- 
phemy against  God :  as  the  mass,  a  profanation  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  holy  water,  with  other  such  like  ;  and  other  of  their 
remedies  be  foolish  and  to  be  mocked  at,  as  the  ringing 
of  bells,  to  ease  the  pain  of  the  dead,  with  other. 

I  beseech  you  all,  brethren,  in  the  dear  blood  of  Christ, 
to  leave  buying  of  God's  grace,  and  the  merits  of  men,  that 
cannot  merit  enough  for  themselves :  your  own  goods  thus 
bestowed  shall  work  your  own  damnation.  Remember  this 
saying  of  Saint  John  :  "  Their  works  follow  them."  Live 
hereafter  virtuously,  that  ye  may  die  godly.  He  fighteth 
not  manfully,  that  is  brought  up  always  delicately.  In  the 
hour  of  death  is  like  to  be  our  hardest  assault  and  greatest 
danger.  The  book  of  our  conscience  shall  be  opened.  The 
devil  will  aggravate  and  give  all  the  strength  he  can  to  our 
sin,  and  will  (if  God  suffer  him)  either  extenuate  and  di- 
minish the  mercy  of  God,  or  clean  cause  us  to  despair  :  hell 
then  will  gape  and  open  his  mouth  upon  us.  Make  ready, 
therefore,  while  ye  have  time,  for  yourselves  in  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  study  amendment  of  life.  Besides  the  scripture, 
hear  what  Saint  Augustine'  saith.  Tract,  xlix.  super  Jo. 
Unusquisque  cwm  causa  sua  dormit,  et  cum  causa  sua  resurget  : 
that  is,  "  Every  man  sleepeth  with  his  own  cause,  and  shall 

[}  Sed  quomodo  interest  in  ipsis  qui  quotidie  dormiunt  et  exsurgunt, 
quid  quisque  videat  in  somnis ;  alii  sentiunt  laeta  somnia,  alii  torquentia, 
ita  ut  evigilans  dormire  timeat,  ne  ad  ipsa  iterum  redeat  :  sic  unus- 
quisque hominum  cum  causa  sua  dormit,  cum  causa  sua  surgit.  Aug. 
Op.  BasilisE  1542.    Expos,  in  Joan.  tr.  49.  Tom.  ix.  col.  360.] 


572 


A   FUNERAL  SERMON. 


rise  with  his  own  cause."  In  our  sickness  let  us  therefore 
do  these  two  things ;  reconcile  ourselves  to  our  neighbours : 
the  second,  let  us  cry  unto  the  Lord  in  Christ,  saying,  "  I 
believe  remission  of  sin."" 

THE  CONCLUSION. 

If  we  will  not  lament  the  death  of  our  friends,  let  us  hear 
and  read  the  scripture  diligently,  that  saith,  "  They  be 
blessed  that  die  in  the  Lord."    And  we,  if  we  purpose  to 
die  well,  while  we  be  in  health,  let  us  learn  to  know,  to  fear, 
and  to  put  all  our  trust  in  the  Lord,  solely  and  only  through 
Christ ;  and  then  in  the  trance  and  dangerous  agony  of  death 
we  shall  overcome  manfully,  and  say  rather  for  our  friends 
that  die,  "  Blessed  and  thanked  the  Lord,  who  hath  vouch- 
safed to  take  unto  him  his  servant  in  the  blood  of 
Christ,  from  the  miseries  of  this  world,  and  the 
ills  thereof;"  rather  than  to  say,  (as  the  most 
part  of  men  doth,)  "God  have  mercy  upon 
his  soul !"  which  word  includeth  a  very 
doubt  of  the  state  of  the  dead,  and 
more  spoken  of  custom  than  of 
knowledge.    Let  us  therefore 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  say, 
"  Blessed  be  the  dead 
that  dieth  in  the 
Lord."  So 
be  it. 

FINIS. 


^   Imprinted  at  London  by 
Edwarde  Whitechurch 
at  the  signe  of  the 
Sonne  in  flet 
Strete. 
1549. 


Cum  Privikgio  ad  Im- 
primendum  solum. 


INDEX. 


A. 

Aaron  and  Moses  fell,  23. 
Abraham,  his  life  as  well  as  his  faith 

is  to  be  followed,  57- 
Adelmannus,  118. 
Adrastus,  184. 

Adversity  is  sent  to  teach  self-know- 
ledge,  89 ;  is  an  impediment  that  lead- 
eth  from  God,  303;  what  thoughts 
follow,  ib. ;  why  God  punisheth  there, 
with,  304 ;  the  true  church  is  more 
visited  with  than  others,  ib. ;  two 
good  things  in,  305 ;  we  should  not 
despond  in,  493;  consolation  from 
God  shines  in  the  deepest,  498. 

Agathos,  (Abbot,)  144. 

Agrippa,  Henry  Cornelius,  32?. 

Algerus,  118. 

Aloysius,  310,  457. 

Altars,  among  Christians  there  should 
be  none,  488 ;  should  be  turned  into 
tables,  ib. ;  prayers  said  at  high,  are 
foolishly  imagined  better  than  in  the 
quire,  491. 

Amartian,  261. 

Ambrose,  28 ;  calleth  the  bread  the 
thing  that  it  representeth,  234  ; 
books  de  sacramentis  are  not  his,  ib. ; 
calleth  the  cup  the  figure  of  the  blood, 
234 ;  his  division  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments, 349  ;  on  divorce,  385. 

Amit,  534. 

Anabaptists,  246. 

Andrew,  St,  314. 

Anger,  to  beware  of,  551. 

Ansegisus,  228. 

Answer  to  the  bishop  of  Winchester's 

book,  97. 
Anthropomorphitae,  160. 
Antilochus,  184. 
Apethian,  261. 

ApoUinaris  saith,  there  is  no  martyrdom 
where  is  not  the  truth  of  Christ,  vii. 

Apostles  were  not  Christ's  vicars,  22. 

Apparel,  excess  in,  is  forbidden  by  the 
seventh  commandment,  377. 

Apuleius,  327. 

Aquinas,  Thomas,  193,  229,  291. 
Aretinus,  118. 
Aristides,  v.  vi. 

Aristotle's  authority  with  his  scholars, 
44  ;  definition  of  invisible,  70 ;  Po- 
litics, 78,  80;  his  school  admits  no 


accident  without  subject,  123 ;  de 
gen.  et  corrup.  1 24 ;  Topic,  274  ; 
condemneth  the  act,  when  the  mind 
consents  not,  283,  297,  325,  351; 
saith  religion  is  man's  principal  work, 
352,  359,  361,  372. 
Arius  defended  heresies  by  mistaking 
of  scripture,  162,  282,  402  ;  Christ's 
bodily  presence  in  the  sacrament  was 
unknown  in  the  church  in  his  time, 
520. 

Arts,  the  fine,  are  not  forbidden,  44. 
Assemannus,  457. 
Asthenean,  261. 

Astrology,  practice  of,  against  the  first 

commandment,  308. 
Athanasius,    contra   gentes,  denieth 

images  to  be  laymen's  books,  43; 

creed  ascribed  to,  125,  169. 
Aubertin  (Albertinus),  161. 
Audius,  160. 

Augustine,  118,  160,  193,  214.  226, 
230,  231,  234,  282,  314,  320.' 

Augustine  saith,  that  not  the  death  but 
the  cause  maketh  a  martyr,  vii. ;  erred, 
28, 29;  against  images,  47;  saith  that 
Christ  meant  not  to  reign  worldly,  79 ; 
expoundeth  Petraerat  Christus,  l2^  ; 
our  faith  is  not  grounded  upon,  ib. ; 
his  opinion  of  unbaptized  infants, 
132 ;  allows  appeal  to  scripture 
against  himself,  132  ;  writeth  of  cer- 
tain heretics,  161  ;  teacheth  a  godly 
way  to  understand  scripture,  162; 
saith  Christ's  death  was  not  of  neces- 
sity, but  of  his  own  will,  168 ;  saith 
Christ's  body  is  in  heaven,  192;  de- 
clareth  plainly  no  body  can  be,  except 
it  occupy  space,  194;  how  he  under- 
stands the  words  diem  metim,  212 ; 
saith  Christ  was  wholly  in  the  womb, 
wholly  on  the  cross,  &c.,  224  ;  denies 
any  miracle  to  be  in  the  sacrament, 
225 ;  notes  TertuUian's  errors,  231 ; 
saith  sacraments  are  food  for  the 
mind,  not  the  mouth,  233 ;  spirit- 
ually eaten,  235;  writeth  against 
those  who  say  they  worship  not  the 
image,  but  what  it  represents,  319 ; 
saith,  images  bring  into  error,  ib.  ; 
condemns  necromancy,  327 ;  praises 
Regulus  for  keeping  his  oath,  336 ; 
on  the  rest  of  the  sabbath,  339  ;  saith, 
all  are  not  glorified  saints  whose  re- 


574 


INDEX. 


lies  are  worshipped  on  earth,  345 ; 
quotes  Seneca,  346 ;  mentions  only  a 
few  saints'  days,  347  ;  his  division  of 
the  ten  commandments,  349,  350; 
describes  Paulinus  as  rich  for  the 
poor,  397 ;  writeth  of  making  resti- 
tution, 404  ;  De  iis  qui  infamiam  ir- 
rogant,  406 ;  against  talebearers,  407 ; 
was  coadjutor  to  Valerius,  508 ;  saith 
sacraments  take  their  name  from  a 
similitude  to  the  thing  they  represent 
and  signify,  5 1 5 ;  saith  the  word  comes 
to  the  element,  and  the  sacrament  is 
made,  516 ;  calleth  the  Lord's  supper 
a  sacrament  of  memory,  529  ;  saith, 
'  Believe,  and  thou  hast  eaten,'  530 ; 
describes  the  miserable  state  before 
God  of  unfaithful  ministers,  551 ;  on 
the  authority  and  use  of  the  scrip- 
tures, 565 ;  saith  that  every  man  sleep- 
eth  and  shall  rise  with  his  own  cause, 
571. 

Augures,  327  ;  various  names  of,  328. 
Augustus,  forbad  necromancy,  320. 
Auricular  confession,  526. 
Auxentius,  161. 
Averroes,  70,  332. 
Avicenna,  70,  332. 

B. 

Baptism,  the  external  sacrament  of,  doth 
not  cleanse  us  from  sin,  74  ;  penance 
and  faith  precede  it,  ib. ;  is  twofold, 
lb.  ;  explained  by  the  ceremony  of 
coronation,  75  ;  is  God's  livery,  ih.  ; 
why  it  is  called  a  sacrament,  128 ;  is 
a  sign  and  seal  of  remission  of  sin 
already  received  by  faith,  ib. ;  infants 
are  saved  that  have  not  received,  129, 
132  ;  is  the  confirmation  of  Christ's 
promise  received  before  admission 
thereto,  130,  133;  ought  not  to  be 
omitted,  131 ;  nor  administered  ex- 
cept by  lawful  ministers,  ib. ;  of  in- 
fants, 132 ;  in  what  it  consisteth, 
533;  of  bells  condemned,  ib. 

Barbara,  St,  457. 

Baronius,  376,  455. 

Basil,  St,  28 ;  allowed  monasticism, 
29  ;  was  not  author  of  private  mass, 
226. 

Basyll  (Basle),  instructive  pictures  in 

the  town-house  of,  507. 
Becon,  310. 

Bede,  118;  knew  not  of  transubstan- 
tiation,  or  private  mass,  227. 

Bellannine,  47. 

Benedict,  the  order  of,  227. 

Benedixit,  consecration  in  sacrament 
said  to  be  in  the  word,  518. 

Benno,  cardinal,  his  life  of  Hildebrand, 
123. 


Berenger,  written  against  by  Lanfranc, 
&c.,  1 18 ;  denied  the  corporalpresence, 
ib, ;  was  an  excellent  and  learned  man, 
124,  230  ;  condemned,  524  ;  his  re- 
cantation, 525,  526. 

Bernard,  28,  312. 

Bertram,  or  Ratramnus,  wrote  against 
Paschasius  on  the  eucharist,  118, 624. 

Bevis,  Sir,  of  Southampton,  77. 

Bible,  the,  children  should  be  taught, 
32 ;  was  preserved  miraculously,  138 ; 
were  as  well  burned  as  rendered  use- 
less, 139  ;  is  made  to  serve  a  wicked 
purpose,  140  ;  abused,  ib. ;  is  the  best 
judge  in  controversy,  278.  See  Scrip- 
ture and  fVord  of  God. 

Biel,  Gabriel,  522,  529. 

Bishops,  the  first  part  of  their  office  is 
to  teach,  19 ;  of  Rome,  arrogantly 
and  wickedly  claim  to  be  Christ's 
vicars,  22  ;  their  ungodly  lives  prove 
them  to  be  the  first-begotten  of  anti- 
christ, 23 ;  succession  of,  a  fallible 
token  of  true  church,  82  ;  the  book 
of  decrees  no  authority  for  the  nature 
of  a  sacrament,  125 ;  there  are  more  of 
their  decrees  for  the  soul  than  of  civil 
laws  for  the  body,  142;  should  not 
make  laws,  ib. ;  how  they  should 
please  God,  146 ;  their  laws  are  often 
changed,  154 ;  laws  of,  pernicious, 
284  ;  office  of,  degenerated  from  scrip- 
tural original,  396;  should  be  rea- 
sonably provided  for,  398  ;  and 
priests,  their  office  in  primitive  church, 
480 ;  should  retain  their  office  only 
so  long  as  they  behaved  well  therein, 
481 ;  office  very  difficult,  505  ;  those 
that  cannot  do  their  office  should  have 
coadjutors,  508  ;  should  be  known  by 
their  tongue,  and  not  by  their  cap  or 
vesture,  511. 

Blasphemy  condemned,  476. 

Body  of  Christ,  the,  is  eaten  spiritually 
by  faith,  and  not  otherwise,  55 ;  Christ 
will  have  our  senses  judge  of  its  ve- 
rity, 03 ;  is  not  invisibly  in  the  sacra- 
ment, 68 ;  is  eaten  spiritually,  69 ;  the 
bread  and  wine  are  not  changed  into  it 
by  words  of  consecration,  119 ;  cannot 
be  panlotopon,  157 ;  must  occupy 
space,  158;  is  not  in  the  sacrament  by 
miracle,  164;  is  not  corporally  present 
in  the  sacrament,  514;  the  papists' 
own  doctors  believe  not  that  the  very 
body  of  Christ  is  received  in  the 
sacrament,  530 ;  what  our  opinion 
should  be  concerning,  ib. ;  may  be 
eaten  without  the  sacrament,  ib.  See 
Sacraments  and  Supper. 

Bonaventura,  228,  229. 

Boniface  VIII.,  568. 

Bridget,  St,  saw  wonders,  291. 


INDEX. 


575 


Broided  (broidered), 
Bucer,  246. 

Buckstone,  St  Anne  of,  40. 
Budffius,  221,  237. 
BuUayne,  our  Lady  of,  455. 
Burnet's  Hist.  Reform.,  xi.,  xii.,  38, 
41. 

C. 

Cambyses'  punishment  of  a  corrupt 
judge,  483. 

Canon  Misss,  518,  535. 

Canons  :  Si  Papa,  284,  471,  Cod.  lib. 
IX.  tit.  xviii.  cap.  5.  329,  330 ;  cap. 
2.  330 ;  Clericum  per  creaturas,  478 ; 
Si  quis  per  creaturas,  ibid. ;  Sialiqua 
causa,  ibid. ;  Movet  te  iterum,  ibid. ; 
gloss  upon,  ibid. ;  Prima  quidem, 
515;  Tribus  gradibus,  522;  gloss 
upon,  517,  529 ;  Quid  sit  sanguis, 
gloss,  517  ;  Utrum  sub  figura,  gloss 
upon,  518;  Sicut  {Sic  in)  non  sanc- 
tificando,  gloss  upon,  519 ;  Vasa  in 
quibus,  521  ;  Cum  omne,  gloss  upon, 
622;  Ante  henedictionem,  gloss  upon, 
532 ;  Ego  Berengarius,  525 ;  gloss 
upon,  ibid. ;  Qui  manducat,  gloss 
upon,  526 ;  De  celebra.  Missarum, 
ibid. ;  De  verbor.  significat.  528  ;  Ti- 
morem  docet,  gloss  upon,  529;  In 
poenitentia,  gloss  upon,  536 ;  Sextus, 
568, 

Canterbury,  idol  of,  40. 

Carthusians  suffered  death  for  denying 

king's  supremacy,  202. 
Catharenes,  (Cathari),  169,  547. 
Cato,  precepts  of,  284,  407- 
Cave,  455. 
Celsus,  273,  297. 

Ceremonies,  absurd,  in  churches  at  Eas- 
ter, 46  ;  augmented  in  sacraments  by 
Bishops  of  Rome,  237- 

Cerinthus,  his  heresy,  17- 

Chalice,  the,  is  transubstantiated,  if  the 
bread  be,  122. 

Charles  the  Bald,  118,  524. 

Charles  the  Great,  47,  227,  228,  524. 

Charterhouse  monk,  a,  an  arm  of,  found 
in  a  church,  202. 

Chastity,  wherein  it  consisteth,  375. 

Chemnitius,  47. 

ChiliastsB  (millenarians),  161. 

Christopher,  Pope,  217. 

Christian,  a,  his  office,  15  ;  what  his 
office  is  when  he  is  sanctified  in  Christ, 
76 ;  must  live  holily,  77,  93 ;  is  bound 
to  obey  the  law,  94  ;  to  be  one  is  diffi- 
cult, 137  ;  a  science  practive,  not  spe- 
culative, ib. ;  must  leave  man's  word 
and  cleave  to  God's,  139. 

Christ,  what  he  is,  16 ;  light  of  light, 
ib. ;  becoming  man  retained  his  God- 
head, 17 ;  as  God  suffered  not,  ib. ; 


raised  his  body  by  the  power  of  his 
Godhead,  18;  his  might  declared  by 
creation,  &c.,  his  mercy  by  experi- 
ence, &c.,  ib. ;  his  title  as  omnipotent, 
ib. ;  his  priesthood,  19 ;  revealed  all 
things  necessary  to  salvation,  20; 
taught  his  disciples  what  to  preach, 
ib. ;  though  bodily  absent,  is  spirit- 
ually present  with  his  church,  21 ; 
admits  of  no  vicar  on  earth,  24 ;  al- 
ways answered  objections  by  the  word 
of  God,  25  ;  his  shadow  is  to  be  fol- 
lowed, rather  than  the  body  of  coun- 
cils, or  doctors,  ib.  ;  his  death  is  to  be 
preached  by  the  tongue  of  man  from 
scripture,  and  not  from  decrees  of  bi- 
shops, 31  ;  his  intercession,  33 ;  at 
God's  righthandministereth  to  saints, 
34 ;  Mediator  of  old  and  new  testament, 
ib. ;  suffered  for  man's  sin,  as  though 
himself  a  sinner,  48  ;  made  satisfac- 
tion by  his  death,  ib. ;  his  sacrifice 
once  offered  sufficeth,  ib. ;  his  death  the 
only  sufficient  price  and  gage  for  sin, 
50;  themean  wherein  we  are  justified, 
51 ;  his  discourse  with  Nicodemus, 
52 ;  the  cause,  effect,  and  use  of  his 
incarnation,  54  ;  how  we  eat  his  flesh 
and  drink  his  blood,  62 ;  is  in  his 
natural  body  in  heaven,  67,  70  ;  his 
office  is  to  consecrate  and  sanctify  be- 
lievers, 71 ;  prayed  for  his  whole 
church,  72;  his  kingly  office,  78; 
defendeth  his  church  by  his  power  and 
his  laws,  ib. ;  not  by  carnal  weapons, 
79  ;  his  kingdom  spiritual,  ib. ;  hath 
no  body  invisible,  112 ;  the  nature  of 
his  humanity,  113;  his  words,  hoc 
est  corpus  meum,  how  to  be  taken, 
115;  is  present  in  the  sacrament  at 
the  contemplation  of  faith,  121  ;  be- 
fore his  advent  was  eaten  by  the  fa- 
thers  in  their  sacraments,  127 ;  his 
body  was  given  to  be  slain,  not  eaten, 
156;  his  body  must  occupy  space, 
158 ;  is  in  heaven,  and  not  out  of 
heaven,  159,  192;  his  death  the 
means  of  our  reconciliation,  257 ;  all 
the  promises  were  made  in  and  for, 
ib. ;  received  our  infirmities,  but  not 
the  contempt  of  God  and  his  law, 
263 ;  how  God  draweth  unto,  265 ; 
hath  fulfilled  the  law  for  us,  412  ; 
offered  on  the  cross  and  in  the  mass, 
contrary  to  each  other,  500 ;  what  it 
is  to  die  in,  563. 
Chrysostom  interprets  de  omnibus,  106; 
how  he  understands  diem  meum,  212; 
saith,  Christ  is  present  in  spirit  unto 
faith,  224  ;  on  the  Lord's  day,  342  ; 
saith,  the  first  degree  of  chastity  is 
pure  virginity,  the  second  faithful 
matrimony,  375. 


576 


INDEX. 


Church,  the,  is  tied  to  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  20  ;  governed  and  protected 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  for  ever,  2l  ;  as 
redeemed,  so  is  defended  by  Christ, 
ib. ;  is  not  bound  to  a  succession  of 
bishops,  27,  138 ;  is  tied  to  the  word 
of  God,  27,  81,  138;  is  not  to  be 
taught  by  images,  30 ;  is  bound  to 
scripture,  and  not  to  men's  writings, 
31  ;  magistrates  may  make  laws  for, 
31,  85 ;  here  shall  always  be  in  af- 
fliction, 80 ;  the  name  of,  abused,  83  ; 
true,  is  a  small  congregation,  84  ;  dis- 
cipline necessary  in,  and  why,  91  ;  of 
old  testament  is  one  with  that  of  new, 
127 ;  they  only  belong  to,  who  follow 
scripture,  139 ;  there  always  have 
been  in,  such  as  followed  the  truth, 
170  ;  the  discipline  of,  183  ;  its  per- 
petuity and  security,  201 ;  what  is 
the  most  pure,  343. 

Cicero,  de  Clar.  Orat.  27  ;  tie  Oratore, 
44,  214,  235 ;  de  Legibiis,  273,  285  ; 
de  Nat.  Dear.  285 ;  Divin.,  309  ; 
de  Repuh.,  32?  ;  Tusc.  Qucest.,  329, 
356;  De  Offic,  336,  352,  378,  407  ; 
De  Repub..  390;  Ep.  ad  Var.,  ib. ; 
ad  Heren.,  408 ;  endangered  Rome, 
490. 

Claudius  (Caesar),  abolished  necroman- 
cy, 329. 

Clement  says,  the  water  in  sacramental 
cup  is  turned  into  phlegm,  108. 

Clement  III.,  Decrees  of,  228,  522. 

Clement  V.,  Constitutions  of,  527- 

Cloyshe,  or  closh,  a  game,  393. 

Ccenonia,  (communion,)  meaning  of, 
148. 

Collier  exposes  the  fraud  of  the  blood 
of  Hales,  41. 

Comestor,  (Peter  the  Eater,)  held  tran- 
substantiation,  118,  518. 

Commandments,  the,  should  be  daily 
explained,  144 ;  are  an  epitome  of 
scripture,  ib. ;  Hooper's  Declaration 
of  the  Ten  Holy,  248 ;  why  they  were 
given,  255 ;  what  they  contain,  ib. ; 
the  condition  of,  on  God's  behalf, 
and  on  man's,  ib. ;  for  whom  made 
and  given,  256  ;  expounded  by  Christ 
and  the  apostles,  271  ;  contain  matter 
enough  for  every  man  to  exercise  him- 
self in  the  exposition  of,  272 ;  he  is 
not  a  Christian  thatknoweth  not,  274; 
excuses  for  ignorance  of,  taken  away, 
ib. ;  preparative  rules  unto,  286 ;  se- 
ven preparatives,  287  ;  first  command- 
ment, what  it  requires  and  forbids, 
293  ;  the  foundation  of  all  true  re- 
ligion, 294 ;  the  effect  of,  296 ;  sum 
of,  316 ;  second  commandment,  the 
end  of,  ib.;  the  parts  of,  317;  third 
commandment,  the  design  of,  322  ; 


the  right  use  of,  323 ;  can  be  kept 
only  by  a  reconciled  sinner,  324  ; 
works  repugnant  to,  ib.  ;  fourth  com- 
mandment, why  instituted,  337 ; 
persons  rehearsed  in,  339  ;  what  con- 
demned in,  340  ;  observance  of,  to  be 
enforced,  341  ;  ten,  division  of,  349; 
fifth  commandment,  who  should  be 
honoured,  355 ;  how,  356 ;  sixth 
commandment,  God's  purpose  in, 
367 ;  what  is  forbidden  by,  368  ;  se- 
venth commandment,  the  end  of,  374  ; 
what  it  forbiddeth,  376 ;  eighth  com- 
mandment, the  end  of,  387  ;  what  it 
forbiddeth,  388 ;  ninth  command, 
ment,  what  it  requires  and  forbids, 
405 ;  three  kinds  of  lies,  ib. ;  tenth 
commandment,  the  purpose  of,  409 ; 
declareth  specially  our  weakness,  410; 
no  man  can  fulfil  it,  ib. ;  self-love 
prevents  its  fulfilment,  411  ;  was  ful- 
filled for  us  by  Christ,  412. 

Commonwealths  are  preserved  by  force, 
and  by  law,  78 ;  the  devil  is  an  en- 
emy to,  80 ;  should  have  only  two 
governors,  God  and  the  prince,  142  ; 
how  they  are  to  be  appeased  when 
troubled,  459  ;  the  contempt  of  God's 
word  is  occasion  of  trouble  to,  464 ; 
overmuch  lenity  in,  is  pestiferous, 
473  ;  compared  to  a  ship,  497- 

Compostella,  St  James  at,  455. 

Communion,  the  meaning  of,  148,  &c. ; 
betwixt  Christ's  body  and  us,  how 
made,  154 ;  private,  in  what  case  it 
is  lawful,  173. 

Condemnation  in  man,  the  cause  of,  264. 

Conjurors  break  the  third  command- 
ment, 326. 

Consecration  of  Archbishops,  &c., 
form  of,  479. 

Conscience  is  to  be  left  free,  32 ;  finds 
peace  only  in  Christ,  50. 

Consolation,  what  it  rests  in,  16  ;  under 
bereavements,  destroyed  by  doctrine 
of  purgatory,  562. 

Constantine  V.  condemned  the  use  of 
images,  47- 

Constantine,  Edict  of,  276,  278,  329, 
352. 

Constantinople,  the  church  of,  never 

acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  the 

Romish  church,  226. 
Conversion,  ungodly  doctrine  and  human 

tradition  are  a  great  hindrance  to, 

448. 

Corporal  presence,  the,  in  the  mass,  is  not 
to  be  believed  till  seen,  112;  is  dis- 
proved from  the  nature  of  Christ's  hu- 
manity, 113  ;  a  late-invented  doc- 
trine, 125  ;  arguments  against,  147, 
514,  528 ;  when  it  began  to  be  dis- 
cussed, 524. 


INDEX. 


577 


Corpus  Christi,  the  feast  of,  how  insti- 
tuted, 527. 

Corpus  Juris  Canonici :  see  Canons. 

Corpus  Juris  Civilis  :  see  Justinian. 

Cranmer,  archbishop,  describes  idolatry 
at  Walsingham,  &c.,  40  ;  his  answer 
to  Gardiner,  100 ;  speaks  of  seditious 
priests,  461. 

Creed,  the,  should  be  daily  explained, 
144. 

Croesus,  184. 

Curiosity,  an  impediment  to  obedience 
to  God's  law,  419. 

Cyprian,  in  his  time  the  bread  of  the 
Lord's  supper  was  given  to  children, 
172;  is  not  to  be  followed,  but  rather 
Christ's  institution,  173;  saith,  the 
supper  is  a  mystical  eating,  &c.,  232 ; 
his  advice  respecting  scripture,  238. 

Cyril  saith,  Christ  meant  not  to  reign 
worldly,  79 ;  quotes  Pythagoras,  285. 

D. 

D'Acheri,  160. 

Damascene   calleth  images  laymen's 

books,  39. 
Death  of  friends  painful,  561 ;  how 

the  pain  may  be  alleviated,  ib. 
Decree,  Si  Papa,  horrible  and  wicked, 

470. 

Decretals  contain  marvels  and  mys- 
teries, 291. 

Decretum  Gratiani,  478,  517,518,519, 
522,  523,  526,  529,  536. 

Demosthenes,  214,  490. 

Denis,  St,  (Dionysius,)  313. 

Desperation  detracteth  from  God's 
mercy,  422  ;  how  men  yield  to  it,  ib. 

Detection,  A,  of  the  deVil's  sophistry, 
title-page  to,  99;  preface  to,  100; 
quoted,  213,  218,  220,  222,  .223, 
224,  225,  236,  239,  244,  245. 

Devil,  the,  danger  of  being  his  servant, 
107  ;  to  be  avoided  by  conformity  to 
God's  word,  109  ;  subtleties  of,  294. 

Diagoras,  297- 

Diocesan,  why  so  called,  143. 
Dioclesian,  387. 
Diodorus,  298. 

Divorce,  378 ;  what  it  is,  382 ;  when 
lawful,  ib. 

Doctrine,  false,  the  teaching  thereof,  a 
work  against  the  fourth  command- 
ment, 345. 

Documents  of  Edward  VI.'s  reign,  479. 

Dugdale's  Monasticon,  40. 

Duns  Scotus,  119,  167,  325,  518. 

Duty,  danger  of  flying  from,  451. 

E. 

Ebion,  his  heresy,  17,  161. 
Eckius,  his  argument  for  transubstan- 
tiation  from  Aaron's  rod,  166. 

[hooper.] 


Edward  VI.,  41;  sermons  on  Jonas  de- 
dicated to,  435 ;  his  youthful  age,  no 
excuse  for  errors  in  religion,  439, 
539 ;  earnestly  exhorted  to  virtue, 
540 ;  and  to  beware  of  flattery,  ib. ; 
advised  to  hear  one  sermon  every 
Sunday,  541 ;  encouraged  to  purify 
the  church,  542;  exhorted  to  abo- 
lish the  mass,  &c.,  557. 

Election,  the  cause  of  man's,  264. 

Ellis'  early  Eng.  Met.  Romances,  77. 

Enthusiastee,  245. 

Epicureans,  absurd  notions  respecting 

the  sun,  222 ;  blasphemous,  324. 
Epiphanius,  28 ;  would  have  images  and 

pictures  taken  out  of  churches,  42 ; 

against   women   ministering,  132 ; 

160,  161,  169 ;  against  Mariolatry, 

206,  208. 
Epitheton,  124. 

Eras,  St,  (Erasmus),  309,  310. 

Erasmus  describes  the  evils  of  pilgrim- 
ages, &e.,  40,  41 ;  declares  people 
should  not  be  taught  by  images,  46; 
quoted,  240 ;  on  Lord's  day,  342  ; 
adages  of,  proterviam  fecit,  484. 

Error,  the  best  of  men  have  fallen  into, 
28. 

Est  is  expounded  differently  by  papists 
to  suit  their  purpose,  116  ;  expound- 
ed per  (Jit),  119,  529. 

Eusebius  referred  to,  vij  83,  161,  169, 
170,  172,  347,  383,  478,  521. 

Eutyches,  64,  65. 

Excommunication  proper  against  open 

offenders,  90. 
Exorcism,   or  conjuration  of  water, 

form  of,  283. 
Exuperius,  Bishop  of  Tolosa,  233. 

F. 

Faith,  true,  is  imperfect,  22;  justifying, 
to  be  accompanied  by  repentance  and 
honesty  of  life,  33 ;  applies  merits 
of  Christ's  death  to  us,  50 ;  remis- 
sion of  sin  is  obtained  only  through, 
ib.  ;  Christ's  righteousness  is  appre- 
hended by,  51 ;  is  mistress  in  the  soul, 
78 ;  required  before  receiving  of  the 
sacraments,  134;  what  it  is,  145; 
the  sole  gift  of  God,  246 ;  imper- 
fect, how  accepted  of  God,  261  ; 
for  lack  of  it,  we  are  called  enemies 
of  God,  262;  lively,  what  it  de- 
clares, 265 ;  what  it  is,  513. 

Fasting,  an  indifferent  act,  32 ;  false 
gloss  on,  348  ;  what  it  is,  538. 

Fathers,  the,  allege  the  testimonies  of 
the  primitive  church  not  to  establish 
faith,  but  to  shew  in  what  sense  the 
word  of  God  was  used,  169 ;  of  their 
authority,  520;  interpolated  by  the 

37 


578 


INDEX. 


papists,  520;  named  the  sacraments 

by  the  name  of  the  thing  represented 

by  them,  523. 
Fear,  the  first  cause  of  idolatry,  453. 
Feast-days,  observance  of,  an  indifferent 

act,  32. 
Festival,  the,  182. 
Formosus,  Pope,  21/,  218. 
Fredericus  Suevus,  emperor,  229. 
Friars,  begging,  soldiers  of  antichrist, 

626. 

Frith,  John,  245. 
Fuchsius,  Leonardus,  278. 

G. 

Galen,  278,  286,  297,  318,  .333. 

Gardiner,  bishop  :  see  Winchester. 

Gellius,  Aulus,  297,  329. 

George,  St,  313,  320. 

Gilby,  Anthony,  his  answer  to  Gar- 
diner, 100. 

Gloss,  a  fair,  makes  not  good  an  evil 
thing,  30  ;  upon  canon  :  see  Canons. 

God,  the  great  love  of,  in  giving  his 
Son,  17 ;  a  severe  punisher  of  sin, 
18  ;  his  ire  against  the  impenitent, 
ib. ;  his  people  must  hear  Christ's 
voice,  19;  slow  to  anger,  but  pun- 
ishes heavily  at  length,  24 :  must  be 
obeyed  before  all,  31 ;  his  glory,  and 
majesty,  and  power  seen  in  his  crea- 
tures, 45 ;  his  mercy  to  Adam  shewn 
in  the  fire  descending  on  sacrifices, 
48 ;  declared  his  hatred  of  sin  by 
death  of  Christ,  49  ;  right  hand  of, 
means  heaven,  66  ;  also,  it  betokens 
power,  67 ;  his  mercy  is  the  sole 
cause  of  the  deliverance  of  Israel, 
257 ;  his  justice  intendeth  to  two  di- 
verse ends,  266;  how  we  should  love 
him,  299  ;  in  naming  him,  what  is  to 
be  taken  heed  of,  322 ;  his  will  must 
be  known  to  be  practised,  443 ;  what 
his  will  is,  445 ;  his  mercy  and  pity, 
489  ;  mysterious  in  his  deliverances, 
ib. ;  why  he  exerciseth  the  afflicted  in 
their  troubles,  490. 

Gospel,  holiness  of,  less  welcome  to 
some  than  its  freeness,  59. 

Gospellers,  the,  uphold  an  unholy  reli- 
gion, 58. 

Gratianus,  239. 

Gregory  calleth  images  laymen's  books, 
29,  41  ;  defendeth  them,  47 ;  his  time 
overcharged  with  superstition,  yet 
communion  of  both  kinds  used,  226, 
227,  237 ;  saw  a  child  in  the  bread 
of  the  altar,  290. 

Gregory  VII,  (Hildebrand),  his  life 
by  Cardinal  Bruno,  123  ;  condemned 
Berenger,  526. 

Gregory  Nazianzen  saith,  it  is  not  ne- 


cessary to  observe  all  things  in  the 
Lord's  supper  as  Christ  did,  241. 
Guymundus,  or  Guitmimdus,  upheld 
transubstantiation,  118. 

H. 

Hales,  the  blood  of,  40. 

Health,  six  rules  for  preserving,  297. 

Heaven,  a  particular  place,  66 ;  what  it 
signifies  in  our  own  creed,  67 ;  is  a 
place  of  joy,  ib. ;  Christ  sits  there 
in  his  natural  body,  ib. 

Helvidius,  161. 

Henry  the  Sixth,  emperor,  poisoned  by 

the  sacrament,  123. 
Henry  the  Eighth,  37, 40, 41, 201,  438. 
Hermias,  160. 
Herodotus,  320,  417. 
Hertford,  earl  of,  the  Declaration  of 

Christ  dedicated  to,  by  Rosdell,  v. 
Hilarius,  23^. 

Hildebrand  :  see  Gregory  VII. 

Hippocrates,  v.,  286,  297. 

Hoc,  the  pronoun,  referred  to  action 
of  the  whole  supper,  116,  148;  dis- 
pute upon,  529. 

HoUingshed's  Chronicles,  455. 

Homer,  184,  298. 

Honorius  III.  commanded  a  new 
bready  God  to  be  honoured,  526. 

Hooper,  account  of  his  life,  i.,  v. ;  no- 
tices, in  letter  to  BuUinger,  offer  of  a 
bishoprick,  434 ;  his  reasons  for  in- 
terpreting Jonah,  445 ;  his  reasons 
for  being  faithful,  468 ;  marvels  at 
the  book  for  ordaining  bishops,  &c., 
479  ;  objects  to  the  oath  and  the 
vestments,  ib. ;  held  his  see  during 
good  behaviour,  481 ;  wisheth  chan- 
cels to  be  shut  up,  and  minister 
and  people  to  be  in  one  place,  491  ; 
reflections  in  a  storm  in  the  Race  of 
Britaine,  497  ;  notices  the  enmity 
arising  to  himself  from  his  faithful 
preaching,  549  ;  would  have  the  sa- 
craments ministered  simply,  ib. 

Horace,  356,  403,  418,  428,  430. 

Hugo,  118;  de  St  Victor,  ib. ;  Lingo- 
nensis,  248. 

Hypanis,  viii. 

I. 

Idolatry,  occasion  of  to  be  removed,  30, 
37 ;  continued,  from  God's  word  not 
being  diligently  preached,  201  ;  what 
it  is,  307 ;  hath  infected  all  the 
Latin  church,  310 ;  whereby  it  is  to 
be  examined,  ih. ;  is  committed  in 
private  masses,  311 ;  inward,  forbid- 
den, 318  ;  danger  of,  457  ;  all  tokens 
of,  should  be  removed,  488. 

Ignorance,  an  impediment  to  obedience 
to  God's  law,  426. 


INDEX. 


679 


Images  have  occasioned  much  harm  to 
the  church,  30 ;  never  used  in  the  old 
or  new  testament  church,  ib. ;  against 
the  use  of,  36 ;  the  worship  of,  is 
destructive  of  many  soulSp  38;  the 
temple  of  God  dishonour^  by,  39  ; 
called  laymen's  books,  39,  41  ;  live 
long  in  churches,  40  ;  excluded  from 
the  Greek  church,  ii. ;  having  them 
in  churches,  idolatry,  85 ;  what  it 
is  to  honour,  317  ;  not  to  be  honour- 
ed, ib. ;  themselves  to  be  avoided 
as  well  as  the  worship  of,  320 ;  not 
needed  to  shew  God  unto  us,  321 . 

Imputed  righteousness,  Abraham  and 
all  the  faithful  saved  by,  21. 

Infants,  dying  unbaptized,  saved,  129. 

Innocentius  III.,  118,  123,  167,  168, 
192  ;  would  prove  transubstantiation 
by  miracle,  225,  518. 

Institutes :  see  Justinian. 

Intercession  of  Christ,  the,  alone  suffi- 
cient, 34  ;  his  church  is  bound  there- 
to, ib. ;  the  doctrine  of,  to  be  preached 
diligently,  ib.^ 

Invocation  of  saints,  the,  never  practised 
by  apostles,  &c.,  35  ;  a  derogation  of 
God's  honour,  ib.;  evils  of,  ib. ;  pre- 
ferreth  man's  doctrine  to  God's  word, 
36  ;  idolatry,  85  ;  forbidden,  458. 

Ippeswiche,  our  lady  of,  40. 

Irenaeus  quoted  as  to  Christ's  divine 
nature,  17, 83 ;  interprets  diem  meum, 
212  ;  saith  that  two  things  are  in  the 
sacrament,  one  to  the  senses,  the  other 
to  the  spirit,  224 ;  calleth  bread 
of  thanksgiving  a  creature  of  God, 
227. 

"  Is,"  interpreted  by  the  papists,  "  is 

made,"  529. 
Isidore  of  Seville,  547. 

J. 

Jerome  saith,  his  time  was  darkness, 
27;  quoted,  41,  42;  wrote  against 
Helvidius,  161 ;  calleth  sacrament  of 
Christ's  body  the  body  itself,  233, 
237  ;  mentions  few  saints'  days,  347- 

Jews,  the,  teach  their  children  the  scrip- 
tures early,  189 ;  made  not  their 
sacrament  their  God,  as  Christians 
do,  211. 

John  X.,  217. 

John  XL,  218. 

John  XIII.,  218. 

John  XV.,  life  of,  124. 

Jonas,  sermons  on,  when  preached,  434 . 

Jonases,  many  to  be  found  in  the 
realm,  466  ;  who  they  are,  iJ.,  469 ; 
ought  to  be  cast  out,  480. 

Josephus  referred  to,  ix.,  249. 

Julian,  Emperor,  329. 


Justice,  divine,  correctivam  and  retribu- 

tivam,  267. 
Justification  by  faith,  meaning  of,  49  ; 

two  things  to  be  observed  in,  51 ; 

evils  arising  from  denial  of,  56 ; 

productive  of  holiness,  57. 
Justinian,  78,  171,  273,  275,  334,  338, 

352,  368,  376,  383,  386,  387,  390, 

391,  392,  393,  394,  407,  408. 
Justinus,  423. 
Juvenal,  423. 

K. 

Reeling's  Liturg.  Brit.  479. 
Kimchi  saith,  idols  bring  men  into  ha- 
tred with  God,  43. 
Kings,  duty  of,  360. 
Knowledge  should  be  practical,  152. 

L. 

Lactantius  inveigheth  against  images, 
43,  46  ;  ie  Resurrect.  46 ;  de  Opi- 
Jicio  Dei.,  86  ;  de  Orig.  Err.  318  ; 
on  the  Lord's  day,  342. 

Lanfranc,  one  of  the  inventors  of  tran- 
substantiation, 1 17,  124  ;  wrote 
against  Berenger,  118;  procured 
his  condemnation  as  a  heretic,  124, 
524. 

Lateran,  the  council  of,  526. 

Latimer  exposes  the  abomination  of  the 
blood  of  Hales,  41. 

Law  of  God,  the,  wherein  it  differs  from 
man's,  26;  delivereth  not  from  sin, 
92 ;  believers  delivered  from  curse 
of,  by  Christ,  94 ;  believers  bound 
to  obey  it,  95  ;  perfection  of,  105 ; 
why  it  was  given,  256  ;  for  whom, 
ib. ;  what  it  is,  271 ;  requires  diligence 
and  circumspection  in  interpreting  it, 
ib. ;  expounded  by  Christ,  tb. ;  what 
it  teacheth,  272 ;  what  the  word 
meaneth,  273  ;  by  it  we  come  to  the 
end  of  our  profession,  ib. ;  the  dif- 
ference of  man's  and  God's,  274 ; 
God's  law,  every  man  must  learn,  ih. ; 
Christ's  law,  many  causes  to  provoke 
to  study  of,  275 ;  man  erreth  from, 
many  ways,  ib. ;  erreth  from  igno- 
rance, ib. ;  erreth  from  power  of  the 
world,  276 ;  erreth  from  mistaking 
of  the  time,  ib. ;  prescribed  for  a  time, 
pernicious,  ib.  ;  in  matter  of  faith, 
conscience  of  man  bound  only  unto, 
277  ;  all  realms  are  to  be  governed 
by,  280 ;  use  of,  281  ;  corrupt  nature 
cannot  obey,  ib.  ;  prohibitory  and 
primitive,  282 ;  convicting  and  con- 
demning, ib.  •  directing,  ib. ;  the  esti- 
mation of  the,  290  ;  the  profit  that 
it  bringeth,  ib. ;  the  meaning  thereof 
must  be  rightly  understood,  291 ;  is 


580 


INDEX. 


to  be  interpreted  by  consent  of  other 
places  and  allegory  of  the  letter, 
292 ;  not  to  be  added  to  or  taken 
from,  ib.;  our  works  cannot  fulfil 
the,  411;  Christ  hath  performed  it  for 
us,  ib. ;  Moses'  forcible  persuasions 
to  obey,  413  ;  objections  thereto  so- 
luted  :  (1)  of  time  and  place,-  ib. ;  (2) 
exception  of  persons,  414 ;  obedience 
alike  required  of  all,  415 ;  (3)  pre- 
sumption,  ih. ;  (4)  curiosity,  419 ; 
(5)  desperation,  422  ;  (6)  ignorance, 
42C. 

Legenda  Aurea,  182. 
Leo  III.  condemned  image-worship, 
47. 

Leo  v.,  217. 

Leo  IX.,  118;  condemned  Berenger, 
124,  524. 

Lepidus,  M.,  297. 

Lights  (high)  idolatrous,  317. 

Livius,  Titus,  327,  417. 

Lombard,  Peter,  118,  167,  ICS,  192, 
193,  224,  228,  229,  350,  517,  518. 

Loye,  St  (Eloi),  310. 

Lucan,  328,  329. 

Lucretia,  284. 

Ludovicus,  228. 

Lugd.  (Lyons),  council  of,  347- 

Lupus,  Father,  376. 

Luther  pre-eminent  in  preaching  jus- 
tification, 29,  144,  246. 

Lycurgus,  351. 

M. 

Magister  Sententiarum  :  see  Lombard. 

Magistrates  are  bound  to  punish  trans- 
gressors as  well  as  to  protect  the  in- 
nocent, 369,  475 ;  godly,  would  all 
men  to  be  saved,  472. 

Maimonides,  350. 

Malmsbury,  William  of,  291,  451. 

Man,  of  the  knowledge  of,  86 ;  what 
he  is,  87 ;  his  misery,  89  ;  it  is  in- 
creased by  malice  of  the  devil,  90 ; 
natural  corruption  and  wilful  malice 
joined  in  him,  304 ;  perverseness  of 
his  nature,  548. 

Manes,  65. 

Manichees,  263. 

Marcion,  28,  65,  70,  162,  168,  282, 

520,  521. 
Martial,  393. 

Martin  I.  established  image-worship, 
47. 

Mass,  the,  a  profanation  of  Christ's 
supper,  31  ;  a  yesterday's  bird,  112; 
nothing  good  in  the  form  of,  save  the 
scripture,  140;  to  partake  of  it  is 
idolatry,  152,  312;  no  ceremony  of 
God's,  174  ;  or  of  Christ's  supper, 
181  ;  but  a  profanation  thereof,  ih.; 
the  name  of,  when  first  used,  226  ;  •■ 


all  the  rites  of  should  be  taken  away, 
440 ;  Christ  offered  in  the,  contrary 
to  Christ  on  the  cross,  500. 

Matrimony,  definition  of,  380 ;  ends 
of,  381  ;  not  to  be  avoided  for  po- 
verty, or  any  such  cause,  ib. ;  chris- 
tian and  approved,  ib.  ;  offence  in, 
ib.  ;  remedies  against  offences  in, 
382  ■  when  the  faith  of  it  may  be 
broken,  385  ;  true,  forbids  plurality 
of  wives,  386. 

Maximianus,  387. 

Maximinus,  169. 

Medea,  138. 

Mediator,  Christ  the  only,  34 ;  media- 
tors, vain  distinction  of,  35. 

Meletius,  bishop  of  Lycopolis,  sowed 
a  false  doctrine,  1 69. 

Memoria,  two  things  to  be  noted  in  the 
word,  209. 

Mene  (Menna),  archbishop,  I7I. 

Menno,  246. 

Mercy  of  God,  the  only  source  of  Is- 
rael's blessings,  257. 

Metaphrastes,  Simeon,  457. 

Minhah,  meaning  of,  241. 

Ministers,  how  to  be  esteemed,  20 ;  how 
far  to  be  followed,  21 ;  not  Christ's 
vicars,  22  ;  are  tied  to  the  word  of 
God  alone,  ib. ;  the  office  of  a  good, 
26  ;  to  be  believed  only  as  preaching 
God's  word,  28. 

Miracles,  strange,  are  sent  of  God  to 
call  men  to  repentance,  417- 

Missali,  meaning  of,  241. 

Missale  Romanurn,  283,  284. 

Mosheim,  47,  246,  263,  375,  524. 

Mould  engendered  in  the  consecrated 
bread,  123,  224. 

Muckiar,  meaning  of,  241. 

Multitude,  the,  not  always  to  be  fol- 
lowed, 84. 

Munzer,  246. 

Murder  may  be  of  the  heart,  372 ;  or 
tongue,  373  ;  how  committed,  474. 

N. 

Nations,  law  of,  to  be  respected,  289. 

Nero,  284. 

Nestorius,  64,  65. 

Nice,  council  of,  64,  276,  376. 

Nicolaus,  pope,  193,  524. 

Novatians,  169. 

Numa  Pompilius,  forbad  images,  284, 
352. 

O. 

Oaths  lawful,  324 ;  if  needless,  sinful, 
335 ;  two  kinds  of,  476 ;  swearing 
by  creatures  is  unlawful,  477. 

Obedience  to  God's  law  is  required  alike 
of  all,  415. 

Onkelos,  351. 


INDEX. 


581 


Oration,  a  fair  and  well-ordered,  very 

persuasive,  102. 
Orators,  custom  and  manner  of,  413. 
Orestes,  184.  1 
Origen,  160,  340,  521. 
Ovid  quoted,  58,  120,  138,  278,  40?. 

P. 

Pantotopon:  Christ's  body  would  be, 
if  Christ's  words  in  the  sacrament  be 
not  figurative,  157- 

Paphnutius,  376. 

Papistry,  all  remains  of,  should  be  taken 
away,  438;  to  buy  the  ministry  of 
the  church,  a  common  practice  in, 
447. 

Parents,  duty  of,  360. 

Paschasius,  one  of  the  authors  of  the 

doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  118, 

524. 

Patrick,  St,  his  purgatory,  290. 
Paulinus,  bishop  of  Nola,  397- 
Pelagius,  263. 
Peleus,  184. 

Penitent,  pardon  for  the,  486,  493  ;  ex- 
ternal signs  of  the,  542  ;  God  will 
save  all  the,  533. 

Pesah,  (Passover),  125,  172,  190. 

Peter,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  169. 

Phocas  first  declared  church  of  Rome  to 
be  head  of  Greeks  and  Latins,  226. 

Phojnix,  184. 

Physiognomy,  329. 

Pighius  preferreth  adultery  before  wed- 
lock, 32. 

Pindfools,  the  word  applied  to  pyxes, 
527. 

Pinkey,  the  battle  of,  xi. 

Platina,  47,  125,  217,  225,  276,  291, 

451,  569. 
Plato,  351. 

Pliny,  297,  328, 359,  365,  393. 

Ploughman,  a,  instructed  in  the  re- 
surrection by  corn  sown,  better  than 
by  a  crucifix,  45. 

Plutarch,  297,  484. 

Poison  administered  in  the  sacrament, 
123;  in  the  cup,  451. 

Pole,  Cardinal,  37. 

Polycarp,vi.,28,  39,  83,  347;  refused 

to  swear  by  Caesar's  fortune,  478. 
Polycreta,  297. 

Pope,  the,  not  Christ's  vicar,  22;  is 
the  beast  in  the  Apocalypse,  24 ;  his 
doctrine  of  the  eucharist  is  opposed 
to  Christ's,  120 ;  he  breaks  the  third 
commandment,  325. 

Powers,  superior,  how  to  be  honoured 
and  obeyed,  357- 

Prayer,  the  tenor  of  David's,  in  51st 
Psalm,  57  ;  a  difficult  work,  144  ;  its 
efficacy,  184  ;  the  Lord's  prayer,  a 


compendium  of  all  the  Psalms  and 
prayers  in  scripture,  428 ;  duty  of, 
458 ;  place  of,  God  hath  not  respect 
to,  but  to  the  heart  and  faith,  491. 
Preachers  of  human  imaginations  break 
the  third  commandment,  325 ;  of 
God's  word  must  be  called,  ordinarily 
or  extraordinarily,  447  ;  how  hard  and 
difficult  it  is  to  be,  450 ;  should 
always  be  able  to  say,  '  my  doctrine 
is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me,' 
508. 

Preaching,  to  abolish,  against  the  fourth 

commandment,  345 ;  hardness  in  the 

office  of,  549. 
Presence,  a  real,  in  sacrament,  reasons 

against,  62, 115,  119,  155,  158,  400, 

514. 

Presumption,  the  occasion  of  continu- 
ance in  sin,  416 ;  original  cause  of, 
ib. ;  how  nourished,  ib. 

Priest,  his  office,  183 ;  it  is  not  necessary 
that  he  wear  a  shaven  crown  and 
long  gown,  245  ;  should  be  known 
by  his  tongue,  preaching  God's  word, 
and  not  by  cap  or  vesture,  511. 

Priesthood  of  Christ,  19,  48. 

Princes,  the  most  godly  the  most  op- 
posed, 80 ;  shall  sustain  God's  ire  if 
they  suffer  ungodly  preachers  to  rule 
over  the  conscience,  140;  they  sustain 
wrongs  from  usurping  bishops,  141 ; 
are  to  have  neither  more  nor  less 
honour  than  God's  word  allows,  288; 
to  be  honoured  and  obeyed,  356 ;  the 
duty  of,  360  ;  their  noblest  work  is 
to  promote  religion,  435. 

Promise,  the,  made  in  and  for  Christ, 
268 ;  is  co-extensive  with  the  curse, 
ib. ;  howbeit  within  certain  limits, 
259 ;  was  made  to  faith,  261 ;  that 
is  made  to  all,  how  we  are  excluded 
from,  263  ;  made  to  the  penitent,  ib. 

Prosperity,  how  to  behave  in,  301  ; 
Moses'  rule  therein,  ib. ;  two  precepts 
in  his  rule,  302. 

Purgatory,  St  Patrick's,  290 ;  belief  in, 
is  a  cause  of  doubt  to  survivors,  561 ; 
how  such  doubts  are  removed,  562  ; 
evils  arising  from  the  doctrine  of, 
567  ;  is  a  most  pestilent  ill,  566. 

Pythagoras,  285. 

Q. 

Quintilian,  221. 

R. 

Race  of  Britaine,  (Alderney),  497- 
Radbert,  Paschasius,  291,  524. 
Rainbow,  a  sacrament  of  God's  promise 

to  Noah,  134. 
Reformation  to  be  according  to  God's 

word,  29. 


582 


INDEX. 


Regulus  shameth  christian  men,  336. 

Religion,  the  foundation  of,  294 ;  first 
point  of,  is  the  fear  of  God,  298  ; 
second,  faith  and  confidence  in  his 
word,  ib. ;  third,  love,  299 ;  what  is 
the  fountain  and  origin  of  all  true, 
306. 

Restitution  to  God,  554 ;  to  man,  555. 
Restoration  of  man,  means  prepared  by 

God  for,  15. 
Ridley,  524. 

Rituale  Romanum,  345,  533. 

Robin  Hood,  gestes  of,  77. 

Roch,  St,  457. 

Romanus  L,  pope,  217- 

Rome,  the  see  of,  is  a  tyranny  of  body 
and  soul,  23;  the  council  of,  117; 
the  seat  of,  is  the  nest  of  abomina- 
tion, 447. 

Rosdell,  Christopher,  iv.,  v. 

Rutherius,  160. 

Rutilius,  P.,  297. 

S. 

Sabbath,  how  far  the  observation  of  ex- 
tendeth,  339 ;  the  observance  of,  to 
be  enforced,  341 ;  is  not  man's  pre- 
cept, 342 ;  is  broken  by  any  common 
work  unnecessarily  done,  349. 

Sabellicus,  referred  to,  v. 

Sabellius,  161. 

Sackcloth,  538. 

Sacrament,  a,  the  nature  and  use  of, 
127,  147 ;  it  maketh  not,  but  ratifieth 
our  peace,  127 ;  the  attributing  sal- 
vation unto,  is  an  ungodly  opinion, 
131 ;  carnal  presence  in  the,  not  sup- 
ported by  John  vi.,  155;  a  memory 
of  Christ's  death,  156,  190;  what 
ceremony  should  be  in  the  church, 
before  the  use  of,  177  ;  preaches  pe- 
nitence and  faith,  178;  how  Christ 
administered  it,  180 ;  is  not  a  bare 
sign  or  picture,  190,  199  ;  is  a  seal 
to  confirm  and  declare,  191 ;  there 
is  no  miracle  in,  225 ;  in  botii  kinds 
was  not  formerly  forbidden,  229  ;  is 
a  memory  of  Christ's  passion  in  the 
flesh,  and  not  a  distribution  of  flesh, 
402  ;  of  Christ's  corporal  presence 
in,  514 ;  when  the  corporal  presence 
began  to  be  maintained,  524. 

Sacraments,  spoken  of  sacramentally, 
62,  528 ;  to  be  used  holUy,  yet  not 
to  have  Christ's  ofiice  given  to  them, 
76 ;  of  old  and  new  testament  in 
effect  are  one,  126,  190,  200 ;  Christ 
to  come  was  eaten  in,  by  the  ancient 
Fathers,  127;  they  give  not  Christ, 
ib. ;  are  not  to  be  administered  by 
women,  133;  to  what  end  given,  ib.; 
what  is  required  before  their  being 
received,  134 ;  are  unavailing  where 


faith  is  not,  135,  146;  are  witnesses 
to  God's  promise,  136;  when  not 
rightly  used,  are  abhorred  by  God, 
146  ;  however  misused  they  are  not 
to  be  contemned,  175 ;  are  Sphra- 
gides,  signs  and  confirmations,  194  ; 
illustrated  by  a  banner  of  an  army, 
195,  the  keys  of  a  city,  ib.,  bells,  197, 
also  by  the  crowing  of  a  cock,  197  ; 
two  kinds  of,  198;  of  the  old  and 
new  testament  churches  compared, 
200 ;  in  both  churches  received  by 
faith,  ib. ;  not  to  be  honoured  for 
God,  nor  for  the  things  they  repre- 
sent, 208  ;  they  do  nothing  but  sig- 
nify and  confirm  the  things  that  they 
represent,  ib. ;  are  testimonies  of 
God's  good  will  to  man,  211 ;  the 
manner  of  observance  to  be  decided 
by  word  of  God,  213 ;  that  the  true 
use  of  is  not  to  be  known  by  the  un- 
learned, is  a  false  opinion,  214 ;  every 
man  is  bound  to  know  it,  216;  it  is 
to  be  known  by  scripture,  218  ;  they 
should  be  administered  only  as  God 
commandeth,  236 ;  to  depravate  the 
use  of,  is  a  breach  of  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, 345 ;  to  add  too  much  to, 
or  take  from,  is  sacrUege,  399  ;  too 
much  taken  from,  when  they  are  said 
to  be  but  external  signs,  ib. ;  too 
much  is  added  to,  when  as  much  is 
attributed  to  them,  as  unto  the  grace 
and  promise  that  they  confirm,  ib. ; 
of  the  old  testament  were  confirma- 
tions of,  and  not  the  things  they 
were  called,  403 ;  are  as  visible 
words  offered  to  the  senses,  513 ; 
Christ  is  not  corporally  present  in, 
514 ;  what  it  avaiteth  to  have,  630 ; 
the  form  and  manner  of  celebrating, 
533. 
Sallust,  353. 

Salvation,  means  of,  when  and  to  whom 

revealed,  15. 
Samosata,  Paul  of,  condemned  in  the 

council  of  Nice,  64  ;  his  heresy,  83. 
Sanctification,  the  nature  of,  71 ;  is 

through  Christ's  blood,  ^2 ;  is  not 

by  the  bishop  of  Rome,  or  by  holy 

water,  &c.,  73. 
Sardanapalus,  422,  423. 
Satisfaction  for  sin,  false  gloss  on,  348. 
Scipio,  365. 

Scotland,  occasion  of  war  with,  xii. 

Scott,  John,  wrote  against  Paschasius, 
118 ;  wrote  against  the  corporal  pre- 
sence in  the  sacrament,  524. 

Scripture,  the,  teacheth  what  Christ  is, 
also  man,  heaven,  and  hell,  26 ;  how 
to  be  interpreted,  28,  84 ;  is  to  be 
for  holiness  as  well  as  for  wisdom, 
77 ;  the  knowledge  of,  is  practical,  95 ; 


INDEX. 


583 


is  alone  sufficient  for  doctrine  and 
practice,  105,  111  ;  all  heresies  and 
false  doctrines  may  be  confuted  by, 
111;  is  its  own  best  interpreter,  271 ; 
two  things  are  to  be  marked  in  doubt- 
ful texts  of,  292;  the  meaning  of, 
and  not  the  words  only  to  be  taken, 
401.  See  Bible  and.  Word  of  God. 
Seleuciani,  160. 

Self-knowledge,  how  attained,  88,  89. 
Seneca  to  Lucilius,  285 ;  contra  super- 

stitiones,  346. 
Serenus  was  reprehended  for  breaking 

images,  41. 
Sergius,  II.,  private  masses  were  not 

known  prior  to,  228. 
Sergius,  III.,  218. 

Sermon,  a,  should  be  preached  before 
the  holy  supper,  177,  178 ;  it  must 
not  be  heard  only,  but  followed,  ib. 

Serpent,  the  brasen,  cause  of  its  erec- 
tion, effect,  and  use,  54. 

Sextus,  Decret.,  568. 

Sextus,  Pompeius,  329. 

Sign,  a,  should  be  known  what  it  is, 
195;  is  not  the  thing  signified,  196. 

Similitudes,  and  not  images,  are  used 
by  Christ  for  instruction,  45. 

Sin,  all  Christians  should  beware  of, 
73 ;  insensibility  to,  is  dangerous, 
87 ;  flourishes  where  there  is  no 
correction  for  it,  90 ;  God's  judgment 
against,  is  not  to  be  extenuated,  92 ; 
the  principal  remedy  against,  is  to 
believe  Christ's  gospel,  109;  the  ser- 
vitude of,  how  called,  261  ;  is  the 
cause  of  all  trouble,  459 ;  will  be 
known  at  length,  ib. 

Sion  House,  formerly  a  Monastery  of 
St  Bridget,  291. 

Sloth  and  idleness  to  be  avoided,  506. 

Socrates,  169,  376. 

Solinus  quoted,  vi. 

Solon,  351,  484. 

Somerset,  duke  of.  Declaration  of  Christ 
dedicated  to,  by  Hooper,  xi. 

Sons  of  God,  how  the  faithful  are,  16. 

Sophocles,  285. 

Sorcery,  308. 

Sozomen,  376. 

Sphragizo,  meaning  of,  133. 

Spirit,  the  Holy,  the  power  of,  21. 

Spirits,  evil,  to  seek  intercourse  with,  is 
a  breach  of  the  third  commandment, 
326. 

Stephen,  VI.,  217- 
Stoic,  263. 
Storck,  246. 
Stubner,  246. 
Sufferings  of  Christ,  60. 
Superiors,  the  duty  of,  360. 
Superstition  is  to  be  avoided,  85 ;  all 
monuments  and  tokens  of,  should  be 


removed,  488  ;  persons  brought  up  in, 
are  more  slow  to  believe  God's  word 
than  infidels,  512. 

Supper,  the  Lord's,  the  true  use  of, 
is  to  be  learned  from  the  doctrine  of 
justification,  60 ;  the  abuse  of  it  is 
the  conculcation  of  Christ's  blood, 
61 ;  how  rightly  to  use  it,  61,  182 ; 
how  Christ  is  present  in  it,  121 ;  is 
the  banner  of  Christ,  154;  is  not  to 
be  received  alone,  170 ;  was  not  cele- 
brated in  private  houses  for  the  sick 
by  the  apostles,  170  ;  was  command- 
ed by  St  Paul  to  be  done  in  the 
church,  171 ;  the  definition  of,  175; 
the  right  use  of,  very  profitable,  186; 
a  law  requiring  all  to  partake  of,  once 
a  year,  228 ;  was  simply  used  by 
apostles,  237 ;  the  form  of  celebra- 
tion, 533 ;  the  office  of  minister  in, 
544  ;  how  he  should  prepare  himself 
for,  534;  the  office  of  people  in, 
535 ;  what  is  required  in  receiving, 
536.    See  Sacrament. 

Suspire,  meaning  of,  illustrated  from 
Rituale  Romanum,  345. 

Sylvester,  278. 

T. 

Tarquinius  Sextus,  284. 

Tatian,  375. 

Temperance,  on,  349. 

Temptations  of  the  devil,  respecting  the 

sacraments,  530. 
Terence,  370. 

Termin  (Thermopyla;),  356. 

Tertullian,  29 ;  de  corona  militis,  con- 
demneth  images,  43,  160 ;  saith, 
Deum posse,  tielleest,  168 ;  calleth  the 
bread  of  thanksgiving  a  creature  of 
God,  227 ;  expoundeth  Hoc  est  cor- 
pus meum,  231,  521 ;  denieth  the 
bread  to  be  Christ's  body,  232,  282. 

Theft,  what  it  is,  391  ;  greatest  of  all, 
sacrilege,  395. 

Theodore  II.,  pope,  217. 

Theodoret,  169,  242. 

Theodosius,  perhaps  Theodorus  I.,  de- 
fends images,  47. 

Theophylact,  237. 

Theostygas,  contemners  of  God,  262. 
Thomas  of  Canterbury,     Becket),  40, 
41. 

Tradition  is  a  fallible  token  of  a  true 
church,  82;  the  mass  falsely  sup- 
ported by,  236. 

Transubstantiation,  whether  it  be  a  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  112;  Rome  is  its 
mother,  117  ;  illegitimate,  ih. ;  by 
whom  it  was  introduced  into  the 
church,  118;  the  words  of  consecra- 
tion make  nothing  for,  120;  absurdity 
of  its  doctrine  shewn,  122;  arguments 


584 


INDEX. 


against,  147 ;  is  not  to  be  proved 
from  the  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum, 
162  ;  defenders  of,  are  not  agreed  in 
themselves,  167  ;  is  not  to  be  proved 
from  God's  power,  168  ;  a  new  term, 
210 ;  not  to  be  stablished  from  the 
nature  of  faith,  220;  disproved  by 
mould  in  the  bread,  224  ;  antiquity 
is  against  it,  235  ;  a  new  and  wicked 
doctrine,  526. 

Travise,  (traverse)  and  play  between 
conscience  and  law,  89. 

Tribbechovius,  47. 

Tripartita  Historia,  makes   no  men- 
tion of  saints'  days,  347. 
Tritemius,  J.,  327. 
Triveth,  Nic,  314. 

Trope,  a,  the  words  of  Christ  are  not  to 
be  taken  without,  115 ;  papists  deny, 
but  use,  121,  528. 

Trophonius'  cave,  290. 

Trouble,  profitable  to  Christians,  509. 

Truth,  the,  always  assaulted  by  Satan, 
26  ;  darkened  by  man's  wisdom,  27. 

Turner's  History  of  Henry  VIII.,  38. 

Tyndall,  245. 

V. 

Valentinian,  65. 

Valerius  (bishop),  associated  Augustine 

with  himself,  507- 
Valerius  Maximus,  24,  297,  298,  327, 

328,  336,  357,  417,  483. 
Valesius,  376. 
Valla,  Laurentius,  221. 
Valois,  Tho.,  314. 
Varenius,  viii. 
Varro,  27. 
Vatablus,  242. 

VerceUi,  council  of,  transubstantiation 

unknown  until  after,  118,  524. 
Vestments,   Hooper's   opinion  upon, 

479,  554. 
Vicars,  Christ's,  the  apostles  assumed 

not  to  be,  21,  22. 
Victor  III.,  poisoned  by  the  sacrament, 

123,  451. 
Virgil,  ix.,  353,  365,  393. 
Virgil  (Polydore),  239. 
Vitas  (Vitas)  Patrum,  144,  291.  ' 


Vitruvius,  viii. 

Vocation,  danger  of  transgressing,  456. 
U. 

Union  between  Christ  and  his  church, 
not  by  eating  his  body  corporally, 
but  by  the  Spirit  of  God  received  by 
faith,  153. 

Urban  IV.,  527. 

W. 

War,  in  what  case  it  may  be  lawful, 

475. 
White,  St,  320. 

WicklifF,  resisted  the  popish  doctrine 
of  the  mass,  527. 

Will  of  man  opposed  to  virtue,  152. 

William  of  Malmsbury,  291,  451. 

Winchester,  (Gardiner)  bishop  of,  his 
book  on  the  sacrament,  99  ;  answer 
to,  98  ;  Hooper's  dedication  to,  101 ; 
his  arguments  answered,  213. 

Word  of  God,  the  truth  of,  is  darkened 
by  man's  wisdom,  27;  is  the  judge  of 
the  doctors'  writings,  30  ;  the  know- 
ledge of,  leadeth  to  virtue,  109 ; 
glosses  and  false  interpretations  of, 
are  to  be  avoided,  110;  the  true 
preaching  of,  needs  to  be  restored, 
205  ;  is  to  be  read  believingly,  287  ; 
obediently,  289;  forsaken  for  the 
writings  of  doctors  in  ninth  century, 
524.  See  Scripture  and  Bible. 

Works,  the  imperfection  of  our,  51  ;  de- 
serve not  remission  of  sin,  56. 
Wormius,  161. 

Worms  are  sometimes  in  consecrated 
bread,  123. 

X. 

Xenophon  saith,  that  a  good  prince  dif- 
fereth  nothing  from  a  good  father, 
361. 

Xerxes,  417. 

Z. 

Zeloten,  force  of  the  word,  94. 
Zilam  (umbra),  104. 
Zurich,  viii.